Book Four: The Airbender Chronicles
by Empress Nightshade
Summary: When is destiny allowed to be ignored? The survival of a nation rests on the shoulders of someone new. Someone no one expected to find. But despite the arrangements, will this new person willingly accept their fate? Follows book one-three and beyond.
1. The Second Last Airbender

Chapter Yi- The Second Last Airbender

Once upon a time there were four nations. The Water Tribes, whose people held power over raging water, the Earth Kingdom, whose people had control over rock solid earth, the Fire Nation, whose people wielded the ferocity of fire, and lastly, the Air Nomads, whose people spiritually became one with the graceful air. This was how the people of the world had lived and prospered in unity, until someone decided to throw everything out of balance.

..........

It was a day like any other day, except for one thing. It was the day that a large and beautiful comet decided to grace the world with its presence. Unfortunately this visit from the comet did more harm then good for the world. The threats had been going on for a few years, but the current ruler of the Fire Nation, Fire Lord Sozin, had chosen to use the innocent comet to begin his blazing assault on the other nations.

..........

Somewhere near the Eastern Air Temple, a young female airbender who was no older than seventeen had been making her way home. She had been out on a spiritual field trip to get in touch with the world around her like all master air nomads did, when she saw a thick fog a smoke in the distance.

_How strange._ The woman took out her glider and flew closer so that she could get a better look.

And what she found horrified her to no end. The Eastern Air Temple, her very home, was being burned to the ground by an army of ruthless Fire Nation soldiers. Screams and cries could be heard in the distance, and the young airbender was prepared rush over and help when a thought occurred to her. The firebenders appeared much stronger than she had ever seen them, and realized that on her own she would prove no match. Deciding to wait until the Fire Nation cleared out of the area, the airbender remained within the safety of the trees.

For what seemed like days, it finally seemed like the coast was clear and the young airbender carefully made her way up to the Eastern Air Temple. She landed somewhere close to the courtyard, and a still silence of death fell over the entire area. There were scorch marks and rubble trashing everything. And more to her discomfort, dead bodies both from the enemy and her own people were scattered all over. She desperately called out the names of her family and friends to see if there were any survivors, but received no reply. The airbender clutched the amulet that hung loosely around her neck as painfully tears came to her eyes. How could the Fire Nation be this cruel to destroy her home and kill all of the people she loved like this? The nations had always lived together in harmony, so why now?

It was then that she heard the sound of something rustling through one of the nearby rooms. Curiously, but at the same time cautiously, the woman approached the room with her staff raised. She was met with a blast of flames. The airbender jumped back, and confronted the threat. To her surprise, it was a wounded Fire Nation soldier. His legs had been crushed during battle leaving him to helplessly crawl along the floor.

The Fire Nation soldier smirked as he tried to send another stream of fire in the airbender's direction."Looks like we missed one."

She easily reflected the attack by spinning her staff in a circular motion, before knocking the firebender onto his back with a wave of air.

In one swift move she was standing over the firebender with her staff pressed into his throat.

"How dare you...." Getting angrier by the second, she pressed the staff deeper into his throat. "How dare you heathens invade my home and murder my people!"

Barely breathing, the firebender gazed up at her while never dropping his smirk."By order of Fire Lord Sozin, all of the airbenders are to be annihilated so that the Avatar will not return. Soon all the nations will belong to Fire Lord."

It was all too much to bear, this whole event was because they were trying to find the next Avatar. She heard he resided in the Southern Air Temple.

"You'll never find the Avatar! And when the time comes, I hope that he will destroy all your kind! The Fire Nation will not win!" The woman put a hand to the firebender's chest and bended the air straight out of his lungs.

The man ended up suffocating, and slowly died right there on the spot. Watching the life drain from him, the airbender felt a rush of vengeance come over her. In truth the Air Nomads had always followed the philosophy that all life was precious, and that killing was wrong...but she was so overwhelmed by both sadness and rage. What the Fire Nation had done was completely unforgivable in her eyes.

Remembering what the firebender had told her, the woman realized that she must find refuge somewhere else if she were to survive. The Fire Nation was trying to kill all of the Air Nomads, so she would be an airbender no longer. Making sure there were no other _surprises_, the woman fled to the Earth Kingdom where she could live out the rest of her days as a non-bender.

...A hundred years later...

Despite the wishes of the airbender, the Fire Nation did thrive over the next century. The genocide of the Air Nomads had only been the first step, now the entire world was in a full blown war and the Fire Nation was close to victory. Over that time the Earth Kingdom was coming closer and closer to being conquered while the Water Tribes were losing their benders. The only true survivors of the war so far were the major cities, including Omashu, Ba Sing Se, and the Northern Water Tribe. However a new light of hope had finally decided to shine through the storm clouds. About a month ago, the Avatar was found. Out of all the people in the world, the Avatar was the only who could bend all four elements, which is why he was such a threat to the Fire Lord. And to this day, the Avatar was known as the only surviving Air Nomad of the genocide.

..........

In the northwestern regions of the Earth Kingdom, a young girl was peacefully residing in one of the villages. Her name was Cheng Xin. She was only eleven-years-old with silver-gray eyes, shoulder length black hair, and fair skin. She was dressed in a plain green robe with white trimmings, and had a white lily in her hair. Cheng Xin lived in the village with her grandmother and grandfather. She wasn't very sociable, and mostly kept to herself unlike the other village children. This was mainly because most of the other children were earthbenders while she was a non-bender, and she hated it. For Cheng Xin the life of a non-bender was boring. People without bending powers succumbed to the normalcy of society life. The boys became workers or warriors while the girls were married off.

But Cheng Xin wanted more. Regardless of the conflicts of the war, all benders of elements possessed a power they were truly unaware of. That power was freedom. A bender had the ability to escape the world and find peace and knowledge within themselves as well as within the world around them. Cheng Xin wanted that ability or even to just know what it felt like for a day. But sadly she would never know. She was a non-bender, and she would just have to accept it despite her wishes and dreams. Even in her own family there had been benders. But as _her_ luck would have it, the earthbending gene decided to skip a generation.

As of right now, she was picking up a few things for her grandparents at the market, and had just returned home. Her family wasn't that well to do, but they were somewhere in between. They had a decent home, and lived prosperously. Although it was only a matter of time that the horrid Fire Nation would come marching through their villages, like they had done to countless others, and burn the whole place to the ground. Once she reached her house, Cheng Xin opened the sliding doors and quickly took off her sandals.

"Grandma, Grandpa, I'm home!" Cheng Xin said, as she walked inside.

Her grandmother came into view as she walked over to greet her granddaughter. "Welcome back, Cheng Xin." Her grandmother dressed in a dark green robe, with gray hair that was tied in a ponytail. "Set your basket on the table over there, and come with me. You're grandfather and I have something important to discuss with you."

Cheng Xin did as she was told, and quickly followed her grandmother into the dining room. Her grandfather was already there and was kneeling at the head of the table, which was in the center of the room. He was dressed in a bluish green robe with gray hair, and a long beard.

She waited until her grandmother and her took their places at the table before asking, "What is it that you needed to tell me?"

"Well your grandmother and I have been keeping this a secret for sometime now, but in light of the new situation of the world we have decided that it is time you learned the truth," her grandfather said, his tone serious as he stroked his beard.

Cheng Xin merely raised an eyebrow, and was curious as to what her grandparents had to tell her. "The truth? What do you mean?"

"You're an airbender, Cheng Xin," her grandmother said.

Her eye's grew wide as she tried to process the information just given to her. "But…that's impossible. The Air Nomads were all killed at the beginning of the war. The only one left is the Avatar. You two told me this yourself."

"That's because the only other remaining airbender that had survived the genocide was in hiding." Her grandfather smiled. "She was from the Eastern Air Temple, and managed to escape. Your great grandmother, Ming."

"Okay, if this _is_ true then how come no one else in our family are airbenders?" Cheng Xin said.

Her grandmother shook her head. "No one truly knows, but what we do know is that you're the first one to be born into the family. You've displayed your bending abilities many times before, but we did our best to hide it in order to protect you."

Cheng Xin bit her bottom lip with confusion, for what was being said to her just didn't seem all that believable. "Still, how come you never told me? I mean I realize that you want to protect me from the Fire Nation...but."

"Because there was no safe reason to. However, now that the Avatar has returned, informing you of your heritage is in the up most benefit of the fate of the world as well as the fate of the Air Nomad people," her grandfather said.

"You mean...." Cheng Xin smiled as an excited expression crossed her features. "You want me to go and help the Avatar?"

"Even more so, for you see, Cheng Xin." Her grandmother nodded. "The Avatar is the only surviving male air nomad while you are the only surviving female nomad."

Once again the only thing her grandparents managed to do was make Cheng Xin even more confused, and she tilted her head to the side in reply. "I don't quite understand."

"We want you to marry the Avatar," her grandfather said.

It took a few moments for the information to settle in before Cheng Xin's eyes nearly bugged out of her head. "Mm...marry him? But I'm only eleven-years-old!"

"Yes, but it has also become common knowledge that the Avatar is no older than twelve," her grandmother said.

A desperate look clearly showed in Cheng Xin's eyes as she realized what her grandparents were doing to her. "Grandfather, grandmother, please hear me out. This is not fair, why do I have to marry someone whom I don't even know?"

"Listen, Cheng Xin. Most of our family may belong to the Earth Kingdom, but we cherish and respect the blood of the Air Nomads that runs through our veins. Because of the ruthless Fire Nation, part of our family…part of our history was nearly wiped out. And even if the war is peacefully ended by the Avatar, the world will still be broken and wounded. Before the war, the world was balanced by the _four_ nations, and it _must_ stay that way. The world believes that the Avatar is the only one left, but with you a culture that was about to go extinct can be restored," her grandfather said.

Cheng Xin gasped, completely stunned. "You mean the survival of the Air Nomads rests with me and the Avatar."

"Yes, now here. we have something for you." Her grandmother pulled out a piece of white cloth that was wrapped around an unknown object.

Cheng Xin unwrapped the cloth to find a wooden beaded necklace, with a wooden amulet at the end that had three spirals carved into it.

"A necklace?" Cheng Xin said.

"It was your great, great grandmother's, and it was worn by all the master airbenders," her grandmother said.

She examined the amulet. It was such a precious family heirloom, almost too precious. Sighing, Cheng Xin handed the amulet back to her grandparents. "But I'm not a master, I don't deserve to keep this."

Her grandmother handed it back to her. "No, you do, Cheng Xin. As the only airbender in our family you should be the one to keep it."

"All right," Cheng Xin said, before putting the necklace on and hiding it behind her collar.

"Good. For now we want you to find the Avatar, help him on his journeys, and when the war is over you may face your destiny," her grandfather said.

"Right, thank you, grandfather, grandmother." Cheng Xin stood up and bowed. "But one more thing, do I have to marry the Avatar _right_ after the war's over?"

Seeing the panicked expression on Cheng Xin's face, her grandmother laughed slightly, and decided to ease her granddaughter's worries. "Oh of course not. You're much too young to be married now, we were referring to once the two of you have grown up. At this point we just want you to win his heart."

"Okay," Cheng Xin said, before leaving the room. _Some destiny._ She sighed grimly with a frown as she glanced at the amulet around her neck.

That night Cheng Xin prepared herself for her journey. Although she held her tongue around her grandparents, she personally didn't like the idea of having an arranged relationship. However, the chance to travel the world, and see new sights thrilled her more than anything. Once she was done packing, Cheng Xin decided to get some sleep for she was leaving at dawn.

"I suppose my new freedom is worth the price of my _destiny_," Cheng Xin sighed as she stared up at the ceiling. _Besides I have plenty of time to think of a way to avoid this. There's no way I'm marrying the Avatar, I don't care if we are both airbenders. _She finally shut her eyes and succumbed to a peaceful sleep.

Morning came as the sun peaked over the eastern horizon. Cheng Xin woke up groggily until she remembered that today was the big day. She quickly got herself cleaned up, gathered her things, and headed out the door.

"Leaving so soon?" she heard her grandmother say from behind her.

Cheng Xin turned around. "Yes, I want to go early so I'll cover enough ground before nightfall."

Her grandmother smiled warmly before waving Cheng Xin off on her journey. "Very well. Be careful of the Fire Nation, and good luck."At last her adventure was beginning. As Cheng Xin exited the village she glanced back sentimentally before continuing on into the forest.

_Let's see maybe now would be a good time to go under my disguise._ Cheng Xin hid behind a thick wall of bushes.

She could have changed when she was at home, but Cheng Xin didn't want her grandparents to know the new plan she had schemed up over night. Personally she didn't mind revealing that there was a second airbender in the world or meeting the Avatar, but she wasn't going to create the option of romance. And the only way to do that was by pretending to be a boy.

Cheng Xin reached into her leather bag for the knife she had brought and cut her hair until it was too short to put in a ponytail. The day before she had made a second trip to the market place in her village, and bought a black outfit knowing that black meant being neutral to the war. She pulled it out of her bag, and changed as fast as she could before any unexpected visitors could show up. Now fully disguised, Cheng Xin was shrouded in black. It consisted of a black sleeveless top that went down to her mid-thigh, black baggy pants, and black boots. Luckily at age eleven she remained flat chested so she didn't have to bind herself, and she also didn't have any kind of noticeable figure. Over her outfit she wore a black cloak with the hood covering her head, and she had thick, black lines painted under both of her eyes. Lastly she wore the airbender amulet underneath her clothes.

Cheng Xin headed out in the open and continued walking down the dirt path in the forest. A few hours had passed by and she was still in the forest. Slightly tired from all of the walking, Cheng Xin decided to stop and rest.

"Let's see, how am I even going to find the Avatar? I don't even know what he looks like." She groaned when she heard voices from the road up ahead.

Thinking it could be Fire Nation, Cheng Xin ran behind the tree she was leaning against as the mysterious strangers drew nearer. When they came into view, she saw a girl, two boys, and a large, white furry animal with six legs and an arrow on its forehead. The girl was at least fourteen years of age with tanned skin, light blue eyes, and long dark brown hair that was held in back in a braid. She was dressed in a blue robe, and was wearing a blue necklace. The oldest was boy seemed about fifteen, with tanned skin, light blue eyes, and had dark brown hair that was held in a ponytail with the sides shaven off. He was dressed similar to the girl and the two look related. The younger boy however looked no older than twelve. He was bald with fair skin, silver-gray eyes, and was wearing an orange and yellow tunic. The most noticeable feature on the youngest boy was the blue arrow on his forehead.

_Well they don't look like Fire Nation._ She took a step back only to step on a twig.

A loud snapping noise echoed through the forest causing the travelers to become more alert.

The older boy took out a small boomerang, and held it offensively ready to strike. "Who's there?"

Cheng Xin remained silent and was too afraid to move even the slightest muscle. Unfortunately, fate wasn't on her side. A fly decided to land on her nose at that very moment making her sneeze. With another stroke of bad luck, Cheng Xin's sneeze was strong enough to knock down the tree she was hiding behind, leaving her vulnerable.

"Over there!" the girl said, as she bended some water out of her container and whipped it at Cheng Xin.

Cheng Xin screamed out as she was knocked to the floor. The others moved in closer to see the person they attacked. Cheng Xin was sprawled out on the ground. Her hood had fallen off her head when she got hit, exposing her face.

The girl gasped. "Oh my gosh, it's just a kid. I am so sorry, let me help you."

However, before the girl could walk up to Cheng Xin the older boy stepped in front of her. "No, Katara, they might be Fire Nation."

Cheng Xin lifted herself to her knees and started backing away nervously.

"They don't seem like Fire Nation to me," the younger boy said. "And even if they were, it's just a little kid."

"Yeah, Sokka, lighten up." The girl now known as Katara nodded as she walked up to the trembling Cheng Xin. "It's alright, don't be afraid. We won't hurt you."

Katara offered her hand with a kind smile on her face. Cheng Xin glanced up at her suspiciously, but decided to trust her and let Katara help her up.

"Once again I'm sorry for striking you, my name's Katara. The grumpy one is my older brother Sokka, and that's Aang," Katrara said. "What's you're name?"

"Cheng Xin," she said in a low tone.

Sokka however, wasn't fazed at all and continued to give Cheng Xin a stern glare. "Well, Cheng Xin, what nation are you from?"

She shrugged. "The Earth Kingdom."

"You see, Sokka, you were doing all that worrying for nothing. He's just a innocent little boy," Katara said, pointing an annoyed finger at her brother.

"Hmph." Sokka sulked and folded his arms. "So anyway what are you doing alone out here without your mommy, what are you like six, seven-years-old?"

"I'm eleven," Cheng Xin said, annoyed as she focused her attention on Aang. "Why do you have an arrow on you head?"

"That's because I'm the Avatar," Aang said, as Cheng Xin walked up to him.

She stared at him, her mind in a slight daze. "The Avatar…?" She smiled. "At last I've finally found you."

"You were searching for Aang? Why?" Katara said.

Cheng Xin looked towards the ground nervously as she confessed her story. "Because…well…because I'm not really from the Earth Kingdom."

Sokka stepped forward. "I knew it, you're a Fire Nation spy!"

"No...it's because...I'm actually an Air Nomad," Cheng Xin said, as she pulled out the amulet and showed it to Aang.

A dead silence overcame Aang as he examined the amulet, before he and the others realized the true meaning of this encounter.

"What!" Aang, Katara, and Sokka said, in shock.

"No, that's impossible!" Sokka shook his head. "Aang is the only airbender left!"

Katara frowned at her brother's stubbornness, and pointed a finger at Cheng Xin's necklace. "Then why would he have this amulet?"

"Simple, he probably stole it from an Air Temple somewhere!" Sokka said.

Cheng Xin stomped her foot on the ground. "I didn't steal it."

Still not believing her, Sokka turned his back on the group and began to walk away. "Well, either way you're still lying. Come on guys, we can't trust him!"

"If you don't believe me…then maybe you'll believe this," Cheng Xin said. She took a deep breath and blew Sokka into a tree.

Katara gasped. Only an airbender could have lungs that strong. "Wow, you really are an airbender."

Sokka only groaned in distress as he lied helplessly on the ground. "Yeah, wonderful…."

Aang, who had remained silent the entire time, walked over to Cheng Xin and put a hand on her shoulder making her turn around. "For a good while I had thought I was the only one left, and I was willing to accept the fact that my people were gone forever. But having you come here, has made me hopeful again." His tone was soft and grateful, and she could have sworn she saw tears in his eyes.

"Uh, no problem," Cheng Xin replied sheepishly. "So now that you know who I am, I was wondering if I could join you on your quest?"

"Of course you can," Katara said.

Sokka quickly brought himself to his feet. "What?"

"Actually I think that's a great idea," Aang said, nodding.

Sighing, Sokka turned toward Cheng Xin and said, "Okay fine, but before I say yes, I need to ask one more thing."

"And that would be?" Cheng Xin said, getting agitated by Sokka's attitude.

"The journey we're taking is very dangerous and filled with ruthless firebenders. You're kind of young, so we need to know if you can defend yourself." Sokka said.

Slightly embarrassed, Cheng Xin looked away while running a hand through her hair. "Um, not really. I have no real physical training, and that little demonstration was pretty much all the airbending I could do."

He frowned. "In that case, I think it would be better if you went back home."

Cheng Xin panicked she couldn't go back home. There had to be some way to convince them. "I would…if I had a home to go back to." She looked down at her feet. "My village was destroyed by Fire Nation soldiers, I don't have anywhere to go."

Aang walked up beside her. "Sokka, just let him come with us."

"Besides, Aang's a master airbender. He could teach you everything you need to know," Katara said.

She looked at him with hopeful eyes and smiled. "Really, would you do that, Aang?"

Aang smiled as well before placing his hands together and bowing. "To help a fellow airbender would be the greatest honor. I will gladly teach you, Cheng Xin."

"Thank you, Sifu Aang," Cheng Xin said, bowing back.

"Welcome to the gang, Cheng Xin," Sokka said, putting an arm around her shoulders. "However before you guys begin training, we need to inform you on the plan."

She raised an eyebrow. "The plan?"

"We're traveling to the North Pole so that Aang and I can learn waterbending," Katara said.

Sokka folded his arms. "And to top it off, we've also learned that Aang has to defeat the Fire Lord before Sozin's comet comes at the end of the summer."

Realizing the seriousness of the situation, Cheng Xin glanced at Aang. "Well, that's more important. Your priority should be winning this war. You can always teach me airbending later."

Aang shook his head. "Yeah, but who knows what the future will hold. I'll train you as we go. After all, the more skills you have, the better you'll be able help us."

"Very well. Whatever you think is best, Master Aang," Cheng Xin said. She then noticed the giant six-legged creature they were traveling with and decided to change the subject. "So who's this big fluffy pet?"

"This is Appa, my flying bison," Aang said. He rushed over to the large animal. "Hey, boy, this is Cheng Xin. He's joining our group."

Appa examined Cheng Xin and sniffed her slightly before opening his mouth and giving her a welcome lick with his large tongue. Cheng Xin grimaced as she was covered in saliva with a bad cowlick, or in this case a bad air bison lick.

Completely disgusted, Cheng Xin immediately tried to clean herself off on the grass. "Nice to meet you to, Appa."

It was then that a white lemur with big ears landed on Aang's arm while eating a piece of fruit.

"And this is Momo," Aang said, her giving a goofy smile.

"Aw, how cute." Cheng Xin swooned and giggled as she picked up, and petted her on the head. She realized that the others were giving her strange stares. Giving a small cough, Cheng Xin quickly regained her composure and returned to her boyish accent. "I mean…cool animal."

"Anyway, we're falling behind schedule, so let's start moving," Sokka said.

Everyone agreed, and as a group they continued their journey northward.

* * *

QueenofNobodies-"Hope you all enjoyed, and I don't own Avatar. And _chapter Yi_ is chinese for _chapter one_. See ya next time."


	2. Playing With Fire

Chapter Er- Playing With Fire

"So, Cheng Xin, do you know anything about airbending?" Aang said, as they walked through the forest.

Cheng Xin smiled awkwardly in reply. "Um, no, I'm a blank slate through and through." She felt bad admitting it, but it was the truth.

Aang furrowed his brow and considered what he should teach first. "I guess we'll have to start with meditation."

She raised an eyebrow. "Meditation?"

"Yes, meditation is freeing your mind of all thoughts, and focusing on your spiritual connection with the world," Aang said.

Cheng Xin stopped walking and completely faced Aang. "Can you show me an example?"

Aang nodded as he sat down with his legs folded on top of each other. "To meditate you close your eyes and concentrate on taking deep breaths in and out."

"Hey, you two, hurry up, or we're going to end up leaving you behind!" Sokka said, looking behind him.

Aang glanced up, noticing that the others where already twenty feet ahead of him and Cheng Xin. "Whoops, come on, Cheng Xin." He quickly airbended himself onto his feet and ran to catch up with them.

Cheng Xin followed. Although she was keeping a calm demeanor, she rather excited to be traveling with the avatar. She wondered what adventures they would face together as she helped him defeat the Fire Nation. For now, she just hoped she could keep up.

The group continued walking when they came across a message board in the middle of the forest.

"This should give us a good idea of what's around here," Katara said.

Sokka gripped at his growling stomach. "See if you can find a menu, I'm starving."

Aang pointed to a big, bright, colorful flyer. "I bet we'll find something to eat here!" Everyone gathered around as he read the information. "The Fire Days Festival. Fire Nation cultural exhibits...jugglers, benders, and magicians." An idea popped into Aang's head causing an expression of excitement to cross his features. "This'd be a great place for me to study some real firebenders!"

Glancing at a different flyer on the opposite side of the notice board, Sokka frowned and shook his head. "You might wanna rethink that. Look at this."

Everyone walked around to see what he was talking about and saw a flyer with Aang's picture on it.

Aang smiled. "Hey, a poster of me!"

Sokka narrowed his eyes knowing the danger that was involved. "A wanted poster. This is bad."

"I think we better keep moving," Katara said.

"But I have to learn firebending at some point, and this could be my only chance to watch a master up close!" Aang said.

Katara weighed the possibilities before nodding. "I guess we could check it out."

"What? I can't believe you two! You want to walk into a Fire Nation town where they're all fired up with all their, you know, fire?" Sokka waved his arms in the air in shock when he noticed that Cheng Xin hadn't said anything. "Cheng Xin, what do you think?"

She shrugged. The idea was risky, but she figured that's what this whole journey was about. Besides, a festival sounded like fun. "Well, it's just a festival, how bad could it possibly be?"

"It's decided then," Aang said, grinning.

"And we can always wear disguises but if it looks like trouble, we'll leave," Katara said.

Sokka hung his head down in defeat and sulked. "Yeah, because we always leave before we get into trouble."

They traveled to the end of the path, which stopped at a cliff that overlooked the Fire Nation village down below.

Aang turned to Appa and Momo. "You guys stay out of sight here while we go to the festival." He then faced the others. "Ready disguises!"

Katara and Sokka put on their cloaks while Cheng Xin was already wearing hers. Aang, however, had no cloak resulting in him taking his top shirt and placing it over his head.

"It's like you're a whole different person," Sokka said, his tone dripping with sarcasm, while Katara and Cheng Xin laughed.

Aang merely smiled and looked down at the village below. "Let's go."

They headed into the village only to find that the Fire Nation citizens were all wearing festival masks. Luckily there was a stand nearb, and Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Cheng Xin were able to buy masks.

"Wow, if it weren't for the war, I have to say this festival seems like a lot of fun," Cheng Xin said.

Sokka frowned even though he already had a permanent frown from his mask. "Nothing about the Fire Nation is fun."

"Come on you guys let's have a look around," Aang said, pointing ahead of them.

They saw puppet shows and children running and playing, but what really caught Aang's eye was a magician act being held not too far from where they were standing. Unfortunately during the show, Aang lost his disguise and was discovered. Fire Nation soldiers chased after them, and they had to find a way to escape the village without getting captured. This was the first time Cheng Xin ever had to flee from the Fire Nation. The war had always raged on around her home, but her village had remained untouched. Now she was running for her life, and was having a hard time keeping up. They were just about to be cornered when out of nowhere some strange guy in a cloak tried to guide them to safety. He fended off the firebenders with explosives. But moments later they ran into a dead end, and were rescued by Appa at the last minute.

Once they were safe in the air, Aang smiled and said, "Thanks for helping us back there."

Sokka glanced back at the village and watched the fireworks explode below them. "Yeah, you really seem to know your explosives."

The guy revealed his face from underneath his cloak. "I'm familiar."

Katara eyes opened wide in realization. "You're a Fire Nation soldier!"

"Was," the guy said. "My name's Chey."

Night fell and the gang camped out somewhere further away in the forest. They were sitting around a campfire as Chey explained why he was there. "I serve a man. More than a man really, he's a myth, but he's real, a living legend, Jeong Jeong, the Deserter. He was a Fire Nation general, or wait, was he an admiral?"

Sokka folded his arms, annoyed. "He was very highly ranked, we get it."

"Yeah! Way up there! But he couldn't take the madness any more. He's the first person ever to leave the army - and live. I'm the second, but you don't get to be a legend for that. That's okay though. Jeong Jeong's a firebending genius. Some say he's mad...but he's not! He's enlightened," Chey said.

Aang suddenly stood up. "You mean there's a firebender out here who's not with the Fire Lord? We've gotta go see him! He can train me!"

Sokka shook his head. "We're not gonna go find some crazy firebender!"

"He's not crazy! He's a genius! And he's the perfect person to train the Avatar! That's why I followed you into the festival," Chey said.

"Look, thanks for the help." Sokka stood up. "But we're leaving for the North Pole in the morning."

Aang walked up to Sokka with a pleading face. "Sokka, this could be my only chance to meet a firebending master who would actually be willing to teach me."

Katara nodded. "It can't hurt just to talk to him."

Sokka looked to Cheng Xin for input, but she just shook her head and held up her hands defensively. "Ah no, don't drag me into the argument again."

Throwing his hands up in the air, Sokka groaned defeatedly. "Why doesn't anyone ever listen to me?"

Suddenly they were ambushed by a group of men, and were taken to a hideout next to a river. They discovered that the group of men were with Jeong Jeong. Chey left to talk with Jeong Jeong while the others waited.

"What happened? Can I see Jeong Jeong now?" Aang said, when he saw Chey return.

Chey had a grim expression on his face, which only meant bad news. "He won't see you. He's very angry that I brought you here. He wants you to leave immediately."

"Finally! Let's hit the road," Sokka said, relieved, but Aang wouldn't take no for an answer.

Aang approached Chey. "Why won't he see me?"

"He says you're not ready. Says you haven't mastered waterbending and earthbending yet."

"He can tell?" Cheng Xin said, amazed.

"Yeah, he saw the way the Avatar walked into camp. He knows he's not ready," Chey said.

Aang determinedly pushed pass Chey and headed toward the hut Jeong Jeong was in. "I'm going in anyway!"

Sokka leaned against a tree. "I can't believe he's going through with this."

Cheng Xin looked confused as she directed her attention toward Sokka."I don't get what's the big deal. The Avatar is supposed to bend all of the elements right? So that includes fire."

He huffed and turned his back. "So what? Fire is a useless element. If anything Aang would be better off just learning water and earth, and defeating the Fire Lord that way."

Cheng Xin sighed. "You're wrong, Sokka, very wrong."

Sokka faced her with an agitated expression. "How can you favor the Fire Nation in the slightest? Weren't they the ones who attacked your village?"

Cheng Xin lowered her head slightly. "Yeah, but…."

"No, buts! The Fire Nation is evil, and we don't need to waste our time messing around with something this dangerous!" Sokka stormed away leaving the others behind.

"But still…" Cheng Xin whispered under her breath.

Katara placed a hand on her shoulder, and gave her a comforting smile. "Don't worry about, Sokka. He's just a little riled up."

"I know," Cheng Xin said.

Having nothing more to say, she walked away in silence. Cheng Xin was trailing along the river when she ran into Sokka again. He was staring at the river, lost in thought. The sounds of her footsteps against the ground drew his attention, and he glanced at her from the corner of his eye.

"Sokka?"

"Look, Cheng Xin, if you've come here to convince me some more, spare me. I just don't think this is a good idea," he said.

A concerned expression clearly showed on Cheng Xin's face as she walked up to him."The Fire Nation did something to you, didn't they?"

He nodded. "Yeah…they killed my mother."

Her concerned face looked down at him sympathetically. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay it wasn't your fault," Sokka said.

Cheng Xin glanced down at her feet. "Right." She then returned her gaze to Sokka. "I never knew my mother. She died giving birth to me."

He looked at her. "What about your father?"

Cheng Xin closed her eyes sadly. "He was an earthbender and left to fight in the war a long time ago but…he didn't make it. Up until recently I had been living with my grandparents. They're the ones who told me to find Aang."

Sokka sat down on the grass. "My father left to fight in the war two years ago. He's still alive, but I haven't seen him since then."

"Do you miss him?" Cheng Xin said, as she sat down beside him.

He sighed heavily. "Almost everyday. Katara and I actually had a chance to see him a little while ago, but he and the rest of the tribe traveled to the eastern side of the Earth Kingdom and we decided not to go. It was too far out of the way of our mission."

Cheng Xin gave him a reassuring smile. "Well I'm sure that you'll get to see your father someday."

Looking out toward the river, Sokka stared at the clear water with an unreadable expression in his eyes. "Yeah…."

"That reminds me. If the Air Nomads have been mostly extinct since the war began how is Aang only twelve-years-old?"

Sokka leaned back and draped his arm over his knee. "Because Aang is technically a hundred and twelve-years-old. About a month or so back, Katara and I found Aang and Appa trapped in an iceberg in the South Pole."

Raising her eyebrows in amazement, Cheng Xin stared at Sokka with shock. "An iceberg? So he was trapped in an iceberg for a hundred years?"

"Yep, he was around before the war started, and the all the nations were still at peace," Sokka said.

Cheng Xin ran a hand through her short hair. "Hmm, it must be a lot of pressure to have the fate of the world resting on your shoulders like that."

"Must be. Anyway I'm going to head back to the others to do some fishing. I didn't get to eat much when we were at the festival." Sokka stood up, and glanced at her. "You coming?"

She shook her head. "No, I think I'm gonna stay here and try out that meditation stuff Aang was showing me earlier. I'll catch up later."

"Suit yourself." Sokka shrugged before walking away.

Once Sokka was gone, Cheng Xin sat with her legs folded and put her fists together like Aang showed her.

"So let's see…I have to clear my thoughts. Focus on spiritual energy inside me," Cheng Xin said, as she tried to do just that.

However after a few hours passed by, all Cheng Xin could feel was herself falling asleep.

She groaned. "This is harder than I thought." It was then she noticed something floating out in the river.

It was three riverboats with a Fire Nation officer standing on the front of the leading boat.

_Oh no, the others. I have to go warn them._ She brought herself to her feet, and ran back in the direction of the hideout.

Running along the river, Cheng Xin came across Katara and Jeong Jeong who were already under attack.

Jeong Jeong was deflecting some of the fireballs, and looked back at Katara. "Go get your friends and flee! Do not come back here or you will all be destroyed. Hurry!"

Katara nodded understanding, and disappeared from sight. Cheng Xin, however, was trapped in the cross fire and tried to stay hidden from the enemy. She watched as Jeong Jeong created a giant wall of fire, which blocked the firebenders' path. The boats quickly docked and the leader stepped forth. He was middle-aged with fair skin, dark brown hair that was held in a high ponytail, and large sideburns.

"Don't worry, men. My old teacher gave up fighting a long time ago," the man said, as Jeong Jeong brought down the wall of fire. "Isn't that right, Master Jeong Jeong?"

..........

Katara made it back to the hideout where Sokka was waiting beside Appa.

He noticed the panicked expression on her face. "Katara, are you all right?"

"I'm fine, we've got to get out of here," she said. "Where's Aang and Cheng Xin?"

Sokka scratched his head while thinking. "Well Aang's in the hut, but…Cheng Xin still hasn't come back yet."

She frowned worriedly. "Come back? Come back from where?"

Sokka pointed in the direction Katara came from. "He was out by the river focusing on some airbending stuff or whatever."

"The Fire Nation soldiers were over there, oh no." Katara bit her lip. She quickly ran toward the hut Aang was in. "I'll go get Aang!"

Katara entered the hut and found Aang. He was sitting amidst a half circle of candles candles with his back turned and hunched over.

Seeing the state Aang was in her gaze softened. "Aang…?"

"Jeong Jeong tried to tell me that I wasn't ready," Aang said. He hung his head down. "I wouldn't listen. I'm never going to firebend again."

"You'll have to eventually," Katara said.

Aang shook his head. "No, never again."

"It's okay, Aang. I'm healed," Katara said.

Aang turned around confused. "What? How?"

Katara pointed an urgent hand toward outside. "I'll explain later. But right now, we have more important problems. Zhao and his soldiers are attacking!"

"Where?"

"By the river. They captured Jeong Jeong, and I think they may have Cheng Xin too," Katara said.

Determined, Aang airbend himself up. "I have to help them!" He rushed out of the hut without another word.

..........

Jeong Jeong was surrounded by the Fire Nation soldiers. Cheng Xin managed to stay hidden behind the bushes and remained unnoticed.

"Look at you. You were once so great. I can't believe my former master has become nothing more than a simple savage." the lead soldier jeered.

Jeong Jeong continued to stare at the soldier with a stern face. "It is you who have embraced savagery, Zhao."

The man smirked. "It's Admiral Zhao, now."

"That title will not help you against the Avatar. Do not try to fight him! You are no match!" Jeong Jeong said.

Zhao laughed confidently. "I think I can handle a child."

Jeong Jeong merely looked away. "I have never seen such raw power."

"Jeong Jeong!"

Everyone turned to see Aang approached them.

Zhao grinned at Aang. "We'll see. Men! Take the deserter!"

The soldiers started closing in on Jeong Jeong, who smiled knowingly, and wrapped himself in a massive ball of flame. The soldiers backed away not wanting to get burned, and once the fire faded Jeong Jeong was gone.

"It's a trick! He's run off into the woods. Find him!" Zhao turned to Aang with his hands raised. "Let's find out what my old master has taught you."

Aang stepped back, surprised. "_You_ were Jeong Jeong's student?"

"Until I got bored," Zhao said, unleashing a huge fireball at Aang, who quickly dodged out of the way.

Zhao continued to attack while Aang used his airbending to gracefully move out of the way. The vegetation behind him took the brunt of the assault and went up in flames.

"I see he taught you how to duck and run like a coward." He scoffed. "But I doubt he showed you what a firebender is truly capable of!"

He launched another fireball, but Aang managed to produce a flat, spinning whirlwind of air underneath him and balanced on top of it causing the fireball to fly right over his head.

"Whoa! Wild shot!" Aang said.

..........

Cheng Xin safely watched the entire battle from the sidelines. She felt so insignificant, because she couldn't fight. However, at the same time she was amazed by Aang's skill. _He's not even fighting back, and yet he's still winning._

_..........  
_

Zhao was continuing his furious assault, his anger growing more as Aang kept dodging everything. "I'll show you wild!"

Aang successfully was able to dodge all of the attacks with his airbending when he noticed that the forest behind him was burn down to ash because of Zhao. He glanced at the Fire Nation boats and then at Zhao. "No self control...."

Zhao held his fists up and glared. "Stand and fight, Avatar!"

Grinning, Aang laughed and said, "Oh, were we fighting? I thought you were just getting warmed up."

"I was!" Zhao said, his temper flaring, and he attacked even more.

Aang ran toward the boat closest to him. "Is that all you got? Man, they'll make anyone an admiral these days!" Reaching the first boat, he jumped on top just as Zhao shot another stream of fire at him. Aang turned around and decided to instigate Zhao by shaking his behind at him. "Ahoy! I'm Admiral Zhao!"

Zhao growled frustratedly, and followed Aang onto the ship. Cheng Xin came out into the open since Aang seemed to be taking care of himself.

"I don't know why, but I thought you'd be better than Zuko," she heard Aang say and slightly smiled.

_He really is a powerful bender for someone who's technically as old as me._ She kept her eyes on the fight. _And here I am standing on the sidelines, completely useless._

Aang had already made it to the third ship with Zhao still hot on his tail.

"Sloppy. Very sloppy," Aang said, as he hid out of Zhao's line of sight.

Standing behind one of the deck cabins, Aang thought Zhao was right behind him. However, he actually climb onto of the helm above him. Cheng Xin saw this and thought Aang would have noticed, but he didn't.

"Aang, above you!"

Aang saw her pointing above his head, and quickly directed his gaze up to see Zhao. The admiral fired at him once again and he ducked out of the way just in time.

Zhao jumped down, still angered, and aimed his fists at Aang. "No where to run now, you little smart mouth!"

Aang grinned confidently. "I'm sorry, but you've lost this battle."

Zhao frowned lowering his fists. "Are you crazy? You haven't thrown a single blow!"

Gesturing toward the boats with his hand, Aang's grin widened even more. "No, but you have."

Looking around, Zhao realized that he had destroyed all of his riverboats single handedly with his attacks.

"Jeong Jeong said you had no restraint." Aang smiled before jumping off of the boat and into the water.

He swam to shore and quickly ran up to Cheng Xin. "You okay?"

"Uh huh," she said.

Aang headed back to the river. "Come on, let's get out of here." He began to swim around the burning trees.

Cheng Xin walked into the river hesitantly. "Wait, Aang. I can't swim."

"Don't worry just take my hand," Aang said, offering his arm.

She nodded and let Aang help her through the river. When they returned to where Jeong Jeong's hideout was, Katara and Sokka were waiting for them on Appa.

"Have a nice walk home!" Aang laughed as he and Cheng Xin made their way out of the river.

Sokka was holding the reigns with a hurried expression on his face. "Let's go, you guys."

"Hold on, where's Jeong Jeong?" Aang said, after climbing onto Appa.

"He disappeared. They all did," Sokka said.

..........

Soon the gang was out of harm's way, and was flying through the clouds on Appa.

Katara noticed some scars on Aang's arms. "Aang, you're burned." She bended some water form her canteen and healed Aang's wounds.

"Wow! That's good water," Aang said, amazed.

Skeptically, Sokka looked at his sister. "When did you learn how to do that?"

Katara shrugged. "I guess I always knew."

"Oh... well then thanks for all the first aid over the years," Sokka said, rolling his eyes. "Like when I fell into the grease friar bramble and that time I had two fish hooks in my thumb!"

Cheng Xin raised an eyebrow. "Two?"

Katara slightly laughed and explained. "He tried to get the first fish hook out with another fish hook."

However, Sokka continued to rant and whine."Oh, and the time that big snake bit me! Thanks for healing that up. That was great. Really helpful."

"So who was that Fire Nation soldier anyway?" Cheng Xin said, changing the subject.

Aang's expression grew more serious. "Admiral Zhao. He's one of the main people from the from the Fire Nation that is trying to capture me."

Cheng Xin gasped. "One of? You mean there's more guys like him chasing after you?" That Zhao character was already bad enough.

"Yes, there's one other firebender. His name is Prince Zuko," Sokka said.

"Prince? You mean the Prince of the Fire Nation?" she said, shocked. They really had their odds playing against them.

Sokka nodded. "Yes, he's been chasing after us since we left the South Pole. He's also not that hard to spot. He has this ugly scar on the left side of his face, and he's bald except this stupid ponytail."

She folded her arms. "Okay, watch out for Zhao and Zuko. No problem."


	3. A Piece Of History

Chapter San- A Piece Of History

As Aang, Cheng Xin, Katara, and Sokka neared the end of their journey to the North Pole the weather grew so cold that every small breeze could easily chill someone to the bone. Katara and Sokka changed into their winter attire. They had made a few stops here and there, and at their last stop the gang overheard rumors of the possibility that there were more airbenders around.

"Hey, we're almost at the Northern Air Temple!" Aang said, as he drove Appa. "This is where they had the championships for sky bison polo."

Cheng Xin smiled excitedly. "Wow, I've never been to an Air Temple before."

"Well all the more reason for us to go there," Aang said. "Besides, while we're there, we can begin some of your training."

"Do you think we'll really find more airbenders?" Katara said.

Sokka folded his arms. "You want me to be like you, or totally honest?"

She glared at him, annoyed. "Are you saying I'm a liar?"

"I'm saying you're an optimist. Same thing basically," Sokka said, shrugging.

Aang pointed ahead of them. "Hey, guys, look at this!"

Up ahead was the Northern Air Temple, which rested on a tall mountain. But what amazed the group more was that faintly through the clouds they could spot people flying around on gliders.

"Huh! They really are airbenders!" Katara said.

_Then that means Aang and I aren't the only ones! I won't have to marry him after all!_ Cheng Xin sighed with relief as she watched the other airbenders soar through the sky.

"No, they're not," Aang said, frowning.

Sokka raised an eyebrow confused. "What do you mean they're not? Those guys are flying!"

"Gliding maybe, but not flying." He folded his arms and looked away. "You can tell by the way they move. They're not airbending. Those people have no spirit."

Cheng Xin mentally groaned. _And just when I thought I was off the hook._ She rested her head on her hands. "Looks like I'm still the only other one."

"Yeah, maybe we should keep going," Aang said, disappointed.

She shook her head. "No, Aang. We should at least check it out. Plus I really want learn more about the Air Nomads. You may have been able to be around a hundred years ago when they were all still here, but I haven't."

"Yeah, you're right. Let's head do…." Suddenly one of the gliders swooped down too close, almost hitting them.

"Are you sure, Aang? That kid seems pretty spirited!" Katara said, pointing to the glider.

"Hmph." Aang huffed before taking his glider and flying off into the distance.

"Come on, let's land over there," Sokka said, as he took hold of Appa's reins.

They landed at the temple, while Aang was having a face off with the glider who challenged him. Soon Aang and the other glider returned to the group. The other glider was young, around thirteen or so, with dark brown hair, fair skin, grey eyes, and was riding in a wheel chair.

"Hey! You're a _real_ airbender! You must be the Avatar! That's amazing! I've heard stories about you," the boy said.

"Uh, thanks," Aang said.

He pointed to himself. "My name's Teo. What are your names?"

"I'm Aang." He gestured at the others. "This is Katara, Sokka, and Cheng Xin."

"Wow! This glider chair is incredible!" Sokka commented.

"If you think this is good, wait until you see the other stuff my dad designed," Teo said, as he led the others into the temple.

Inside most of the temple had been built around, and there was metal and machinery in places where statues and paintings used to be. Cheng Xin was in awe at everything, since she had never seen an air temple before. Aang however, was examining everything in distaste.

Sokka loved inventions and grinned. "Wow!"

"Yeah, my dad is the mastermind behind this whole place! Everything's powered by hot air. It even pumps hot air currents outside to give us a lift when we're gliding," Teo said, with a proud smile.

Aang sighed. "This place is unbelievable."

Teo nodded. "Yeah, it's great isn't it?"

"No, just unbelievable," Aang said, walking away.

Cheng Xin followed him. "Is there something wrong, Aang?"

"This place is sacred, and they've practically destroyed everything." He pointed up toward the painting in front of them. "I mean just look at this mural. It's supposed to be the history of our people."

Most of it was faded and worn away from years of being unkempt, but now the drawings had been completely obliterated because of the pipes going through the wall.

"Well, maybe some parts of the temple are still the same," Cheng Xin said.

"Yeah…come on," Aang said, as he and Cheng Xin walked further into another area of the air temple leaving the others behind.

As they walked in silence, Cheng Xin pulled out her necklace from under her clothes. Aang took notice and turned toward her.

"So where did you get the necklace from?" Aang said.

"It was my great grandmother's," she said. "Her name was Ming, and she was a master airbender from the Eastern Air Temple."

"But still, how did she manage to escape?" Aang questioned.

"Well from what my grandparents told me. She wasn't there when the Fire Nation attacked her temple. Once she came back and saw what happened she went into hiding in the Earth Kingdom." She frowned. "Everyone else in my family were born earthbenders. I'm the first airbender to be born since my great grandmother. By the way, I was wondering…why did Sokka and Katara find you in an iceberg at the South Pole?"

Aang sighed as they reached the western side of the temple. He jumped up onto the railing before sitting down while Cheng Xin just climbed. Unfortunately, she lost her footing when she was half way on and started to fall when she felt a hand grab the back of her clothing.

"Careful," Aang said, as he helped her back onto the railing.

"Uh, thanks," Cheng Xin said, embarrassed. "I'm not that good around heights."

He smiled. "Well if you're going to be an airbender, you're going to have to let go of fears like that."

"Right…." Cheng Xin paused trying to recollect her thoughts. "…You know, you still haven't answered my question." She raised an eyebrow causing Aang's smile to drop.

"…I was in that iceberg, because I had run away from home," Aang said.

"You mean back then?"

"Yeah, a hundred years ago when I lived at the Southern Air Temple, the monks had informed me that I was the Avatar. However finding out this information ended up isolating me from the other airbenders including my mentor, Monk Giatso. I figured if I ran away I wouldn't have to be the Avatar anymore. But there was a storm, and Appa and I were caught in the middle of it…and the next thing I knew I was waking up to Sokka and Katara." He closed his eyes. "At first I didn't even know about the war or what had happened to our people, and once I did I was devastated. My friends, my family, my whole entire world was gone." Aang sighed again as he gazed down at his feet.

"It must have been hard finding out you were the only one left," Cheng Xin said.

"You have no idea," Aang said. "But that's why I'm so glad I found you, and also why it's so important for me to train you." He suddenly perking up. "Come on, let's go." Aang airbended himself off of the railing.

She looked at him, confused. "Go where?"

"I made you a promise, Cheng. We're going to start your first lesson. Besides, I'm sure that there has to be some part of this temple that hasn't been tampered with."

"All right!" Cheng Xin cheered as she quickly got off the railing and joined Aang.

They walked for a while until they came across a courtyard. There were two rows of doors on either side and some statues, but everything seemed to be preserved and untouched.

"I guess you were right, Aang. This area seems to be fine," Cheng Xin said.

"Look out!"

Out of nowhere a wrecking ball breaks through the wall closest to Aang and Cheng Xin making them jump back.

"What the doodle!" A man appeared on the other side of the large hole that the wrecking ball left. "Don't you know enough to stay away from construction sites? We have to make room for the bathhouse!"

The man that appeared was middle aged with a bald head that had pointy patches of hair sticking out, and was wearing a green tunic.

"Do you know what you just did? You just destroyed something sacred! For a stupid bathhouse!" Aang said.

"Well, people around here are starting to stink," the man said.

"This place whole place stinks!!" Aang slammed his staff down on the ground blowing away the crane behind the man over the cliff side.

After all the commotion, Katara, Sokka, and Teo rushed into the courtyard.

"What's going on?" Katara said.

Cheng Xin sighed. "Aang's about to have an ultimate meltdown."

"This is a sacred temple! You can't treat it this way. I've seen it when the monks were here, I know what it's supposed to be like," Aang said.

The man stared at him. "The monks? But you're twelve!"

"Dad, he's the Avatar. He used to come here a hundred years ago," Teo said.

"What are you doing? Who said you could be here?" Aang pointed his staff at Teo's father.

Teo's dad explained his story of why he, and the other people were living there, but Aang remained unnerved. Eventually everyone went their separate ways. Sokka left with the inventor, Katara and Teo went to practice gliding, and Aang was leading Cheng Xin into another part of the temple.

"Where are we going now, Aang?" Cheng Xin said, as they stopped in front of a large door.

On the front of the door were three large spirals like the symbol on her necklace, and running through the spirals was some kind of tube.

She looked at the door with amazement. "What is this place?"

"This is a special door that can be only be opened with airbending. Katara, Sokka, and I found the same door when we explored the Southern Air Temple. It should be the last thing here that the inventor hasn't messed with."

"So are you going to open it?" Cheng Xin said.

Aang grinned. "No…you are."

Cheng Xin smiled and nodded understanding.

"Okay, first assume a squatting stance," Aang said, as Cheng Xin did as he said. "A little wider." He gestured toward her legs.

"What do I do now?" Cheng Xin said, while she adjusted her stance.

"Close your eyes and focus on taking deep breaths in and out." Aang waited for Cheng Xin to do so. "Good. Next, do you feel the energy flowing through your body as you take in air and release it?"

She kept her eyes closed. "I think so."

"Do you remember how you were able to exhale and send a gush of wind from your mouth before when we were in the forest?" Aang said, receiving a nod. "Well that's the energy you use whenever you airbend. The air you take in becomes energy in your body, and you basically _exhale_ that energy in different ways. Okay now open your eyes."

Cheng Xin did and returned to her normal standing position.

"Is that all?" Cheng Xin asked. "If there is more I hope it isn't more squatting, my thighs are already killing me." she inwardly groaned.

"No. I've just taught you what it means to airbend, but you still need to learn the physical side. There are many movements and stances in this sacred art. However, for right now I'll teach you a very simple one." Aang took a few steps forward and turned his back to her. "The skill you want to achieve by doing this is to be able to _exhale_ the air you take in through your hands."

Aang placed his right foot back and set a little more than perpendicular to his left foot. His knees were bent and his arms were spread almost in the same fashion as his legs.

"This is the first stance," Aang said.

Cheng Xin did her best to mimic the stance and watched as Aang proceeded to the next movement. Aang swung his arms gracefully to the right as his left was moved behind and past his right. He twisted his right foot slightly around, and paused so that Cheng Xin could copy him. Next Aang twisted his body around bringing his right leg forward while his left was placed behind him. His knees were still bent, and he placed his arms over his head with his right palm bent back and his left merely facing up.

"Like this?" Cheng Xin said, as she changed her stance.

"Perfect. Now this is where your airbending comes into play. As you do this next movement take a deep breath and try to let your energy flow to your hands so you can release it."

Aang twisted around once more while taking a deep breath. He was now bending down close to a squat with his left leg in front. His right arm was held up while his left was placed across his left thigh. Next Aang had his left hand pointed towards his right knee and under his right hands. Cheng Xin noted that his hands looked as if they were holding a ball of air. Lastly Aang turned his torso forward, almost aligning it with his left knee, while thrusting both his hands forward unleashing two gushes of wind from his palms. Cheng Xin did the same while taking a deep breath, however when it came to the part of unleashing the air from her hands…she got nothing.

"Hmm, how about you just watch me do it this time then you can try it again."

She nodded. "All right."

Aang repeated the move but at a faster pace. Cheng Xin observed very closely wanting to get the move right.

"Okay now you try, and remember to pass the energy through your hands," Aang said, as he stepped aside.

On the first initial try Cheng Xin managed to remember all the stances but once again failed to produce any air in the end. On the second try…the same thing. The third…nothing. The fourth…one big goose egg. And by the fifth try Cheng Xin had made herself so dizzy from all the twisting around that she collapsed on the ground in mid-stance.

"I can't do it, I just can't do it!" Cheng Xin sulked as she beat the ground with her fists.

"Calm down, Cheng. It's alright. Not everyone gets these things on the first try." Aang said comforting her. "Besides, you said before that you had no real physical training, we'll just have to practice building up your strength and your stamina. And in the mean time your first assignment will be to practice that move until you perfect it."

"You're right," she said, as she stood up. Cheng Xin bowed to him. "Thank you, Sifu Aang."

Aang smiled bowing back. "You're welcome, Cheng."

"Are we still going to open the door?" Cheng Xin said.

"Oh yeah, stand back," Aang said, as he returned to his stance.

Aang unlocked the door with his airbending, and the two waited for the door to open. However once it did, what they found inside wasn't anything they expected. There was nothing but weapons and machinery all over the place, and sitting in the center of the room was a giant, red air balloon with the Fire Nation insignia on it.

He gasped. "This is a nightmare."

"Oh, so you guys are already here!"

Aang and Cheng Xin turned around to see Teo and Katara walking up the hall.

"Wow, you guys actually opened the door," Teo said, when he and Katara saw what was in the room as well.

Katara scanned the room, horrified. "Oh no."

"Wait, you don't understand!" the inventor said as he ran up to the group with Sokka behind him.

Aang pointed his staff at him. "You're making weapons for the Fire Nation!"

"Explain all this now!" Teo said.

"It was about a year after we moved here. Fire Nation soldiers found our settlement. They were going to destroy everything, burn it to the ground. I pleaded with them, I begged them to spare us. They asked what I had to offer. I offered my services," the said, he said.

"When are they coming?" Aang said.

"Soon, in fact I need to hurry back right now," Teo's father said, before rushing off.

"What are you planning to do, Aang?" Cheng Xin said.

He gripped his staffed determined. "I'm not letting this continue. We're going to stop your dad, Teo, and afterward we'll fight the fire nation off."

..........

Aang and Teo left in the direction the inventor ran off. Meanwhile the inventor was being confronted by a Fire Nation officer, when Aang showed up just in time to tell the officer to leave and that he wasn't getting any more weapons. The Fire Nation officer threatened that he would return with an army to burn the entire place to rubble before leaving and the group was faced with a new problem. After some help from Sokka and the inventor that came up with an idea to ambush the Fire Nation while they'll were heading up the mountainside. In the end they managed to chase the Fire Nation army away from the temple. The day was coming to a close, and Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Cheng Xin said their goodbyes before flying away again on Appa.

Throughout the whole ordeal, Cheng Xin had been mostly watching the battle from the sidelines…again. She hated not being able to hold her own in a fight, but decided she would have her time to shine after enough training and practice. Sokka was at the reigns and as steering Appa while the others rested on the large saddle.

..........

"So where to now?" Cheng Xin said.

"If memory serves me correctly we should be reaching the Northern Water Tribe in a couple of days," Sokka said.

Katara smiled. "Wow already. I mean I've always anticipated making it to the North Pole, but now that we're almost there…I just can't wait."

Aang nodded. "I know I can't wait to find a master to teach us waterbending."

"Well, I don't know about waterbending, but you're definitely an amazing airbender. I can only hope in time that I'll be at least half as good as you," Cheng Xin said.

"You'll be a great airbender some day, Cheng." Aang put a hand on her shoulder. "Maybe you'll even be a master someday."

Cheng Xin folded her arms. "How do you even become a master?"

"Simple, by mastering the main arts of airbending, and then by creating your own move. For example I was the one who created the air scooter," Aang said.

_I see._ Cheng Xin lay down and closed her eyes. "Well, goodnight guys."

"Goodnight."


	4. Just Between Us

Chapter Si- Just Between Us

Nearly a day had passed by and the gang was still out soaring through the clouds. Aang was taking his turn at the reigns while the others were lazily staring up at the sky.

Cheng Xin groaned. "I'm so bored."

"I know, how about we play a game," Aang said.

"Ooh I got one!" Sokka said, springing up. "Knock knock."

Katara raised an eyebrow. "Um…who's there?" Katara questioned curiously.

Sokka smiled. "Appa!"

"Appa, who?" Cheng Xin said in a bored tone.

"Appa's flying us to the North Pole!" Sokka said, before he started laughing. "Get it. Appa's flying…you know because he actually is flying us…and we're heading…to the…North…Pole…." Everyone just stared at him with an awkward silence. "Never mind." Sokka sighed defeated as he slumped back down in his spot.

"Does Sokka always tell bad jokes like this?" Cheng Xin whispered in Katara's ear.

"Yeah, but you learn to ignore it after a while," Katara said, as they both laughed.

From the corner of her eye Cheng Xin noticed Aang looking at her with an unreadable expression. "Something wrong, Aang?"

Aang quickly turned around. "Nope, nothing."

"Is it time for us to take another break again?" Cheng Xin said.

"Please, we were just at the Northern Air Temple less than twenty four hours ago!" Sokka said.

Cheng Xin rolled her eyes. "Yeah, and while we were there, we ended having to fight the Fire Nation…again!"

"You fought? You were standing on the sidelines the whole time," Sokka said, folding his arms.

"Exactly, which is why I want us to make one more pit stop before we reach the North Pole. I'm tired of being the tag along and I want to take some time to practice cause once we find the Water Tribe Aang will be too busy to train me," Cheng Xin said.

Sokka was about to rebut when Katara intervened.

"Let it go, Sokka. Besides Cheng Xin has a point. He has a right to get stronger just as Aang and I do," Katara said.

"Fine." Sokka huffed. "Hey, Aang, do see any good spots to rest at?"

"Actually there's an area with a waterfall just ahead," Aang said, as he gazed down at the ground below them.

Cheng Xin cheered. "All right, let's go."

Appa landed down at the spot Aang found. Being so far north there was a lot of snow gathered throughout the area. And as Aang described there was a large waterfall that spilled out into a small stream, and not too far off the stream opened out into the ocean. Sokka walked off to go find food while Aang was feeding and taking care of Appa.

"This place is perfect, and while we're here we can do a little more practicing on waterbending," Katara said, as she reached into her bag and brought out a few scrolls.

"What are those?" Cheng Xin said.

Katara smiled. "They're waterbending scrolls. I stole them from some pirates some time ago."

Cheng Xin looked at her surprised. "Why did you steal them?"

"Well, because I'm the only waterbender from the Southern Water Tribe. The rest were wiped out a long time ago."

"Wow, I guess in a way you're in the same boat as me and Aang," Cheng Xin said.

"Although it's probably more of your boat. Being so isolated where I grew up, I never had the chance to really practice until now." Katara put her hands on her hips. "Has Aang had a chance to teach you anything yet?"

"Yeah, he taught me one move while we were at the air temple, but I'm still getting the hang of it." Cheng Xin walked over to Aang. "Hey, Aang, you can practice with Katara. I just want try the move you taught me on my own for a little bit."

"Okay, and also beforehand I want you to do a set of ten push ups, ten squats, and five laps around that small pond over there," Aang said, pointing toward the opposite side of the stream, and behind the row of trees in front of them.

Sighing she proceeded with her orders, and by the time she was done jogging she was on her knees out of breath.

Sokka laughed as she slowly stood up. "Come on, Cheng Xin, don't tell me you're tired already."

"What part of _I don't have physical training_ can't you understand?" Cheng Xin said, slightly glaring at him.

"All the more why I had you do this." Aang strode over to her. "If you're going to be a good airbender you need to have strong lungs."

"Right, well I'll be over there in the forest to practice. I'll yell if something is wrong," Cheng Xin said, before she walked away.

Cheng Xin separated a fair distance between her and the others, and once she found a nice spot to train in she sat crossed legged on the ground. _Since I'm a little tired, I'll practice on breathing._ She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

With every breath Cheng Xin felt the energy Aang had described pass through her body. She did this for a few minutes before deciding to stand up. Cheng Xin got into a squatting stance with her arms at her side, and took a deep breath. When she felt ready to exhale Cheng Xin jabbed her right palm forward and saw a small poof of air shoot from her hand.

She jumped up victoriously. "I did it!" Cheng Xin repeated her actions, but still only managed to make a tiny puff of air shoot out of her palm. "Well it's better than nothing. I've got to show the others."

Cheng Xin ran out of the forest, and Aang was the first to notice her.

"Cheng, is something wrong?"

"No, everything's fine. But look at what I can do!" She took a deep breath and blew another minuscule gust of air from her hand.

Aang smiled. "Cheng Xin, that's great."

"But that wasn't exactly a lot of air," Sokka said.

She huffed, folding her arms. "It's a growing progress, Sokka." She glanced around, realizing someone was missing. "Hey, where's Katara?"

Sokka pointed ahead of them. "She wandered off to the pond over there."

"Oh," Cheng Xin said, thinking to herself. "I'm just going to do some more jogging to keep my endurance up." She quickly ran off in the direction of the pond.

In truth Cheng Xin had no to desire to exercise, but to bathe. She hadn't taken a bath since she started her journey, and she was beginning to feel very filthy from all of the running around she had been doing. Cheng Xin found a nice spot by a lot of rocks and shade, and started taking off her clothes. However it wasn't until she was completely disrobed that she heard someone behind her.

"Cheng Xin?"

It was Katara. Forgetting who she was or at least who she was pretending to be, Cheng Xin turned around revealing her entire body to the female waterbender. It wasn't until Katara gasped that Cheng Xin realized what she had done and rushed to cover herself up. However, it didn't help the situation when she covered her whole body instead of just half.

"I'm sorry, Katara, I didn't know you were here," Cheng Xin said in her boyish tone.

Katara blinked once before looking back up at Cheng Xin in question. "You're not a boy, are you?"

Cheng Xin tightened her grip on her clothing, and glared at Katara. "Are you crazy? Of course I'm a boy, besides how can you judge? You probably don't even know what boys look like!"

Katara raised an eyebrow. "I may not know much about the male anatomy, but I do know a girl's. And you're a girl, aren't you Cheng Xin?"

She remained silent hoping that she could come up with another excuse, but when her mind ran a blank she decided to surrender. Cheng Xin sighed. "All right, you got me. I'm a girl." A pleading expression crossed her features. "Just don't tell the others."

"Why? And why are you even pretending to be a boy?" Katara said.

Cheng Xin hung her head as she entered the water. "Because…."

Katara just stared at her. "Because what? What reason do you have to pretend to be boy? I mean you're the last surviving _female_ airbender; why would you want to hide it?"

"Katara, you were raised as a waterbender all your life; you were given the opportunity to have freedom. Me, however, I was raised in the Earth Kingdom as a non-bender. And I don't know how things work in the Water Tribes, but most of the rest world is very sexist," Cheng Xin said.

"But what does that have to do with you?" Katara said, confused.

"Don't you see? I'm the last _female_ airbender, Aang's the last _male_…." She grimaced as she explained the next part of her tale. "...And my grandparents ordered me to…stay by his side so when the time comes…we can marry."

Katara's eyes widened with surprise. "Aang? They wanted you to marry Aang?"

Cheng Xin nodded regrettably. "Yes, but I don't want to. So I figured if everyone thought I was a guy, no one would try to force us to be together." Her tone became stern. "And this is why you must keep this a secret. I don't want anyone else to find out."

"But why can't you just be yourself, and not marry Aang?"

"It's not that simple." Cheng Xin sighed again. "I'm sorry, Katara, but I need you to promise me that you won't tell."

"If it means this much, then I promise to keep your secret." Katara paused before she started laughing.

"What's so funny?" Cheng Xin said, with an eyebrow raised.

"After a while of traveling with Aang and Sokka, I had always wished there was another girl in our group to even things out and here you are." Katara giggled.

She started laughing as well. "Well momentarily, but once we head back I'm just one of the boys." Cheng Xin smiled to herself. Although she didn't want to her secret out, she actually felt less troubled now that she had someone to share her problems with. It wasn't easy befriending them while not being herself.

After about a half hour or so later, Katara and Cheng Xin returned to the group. Aang was practicing some waterbending and Sokka was digging through one of his bags.

"Wow, you guys were sure gone for a long time," Sokka said, as he saw the two walk out into the open.

"Oh, we sorta bumped into each other at the pond," Katara said.

"Yeah, we were just sitting around talking, and we must have gotten carried away," Cheng Xin said.

Aang boarded Appa. "Anyway, we've decided to head out."

Katara walked over to Appa. "Good idea, we had enough of a break. Besides we don't want to fall too far behind schedule."

Sokka, Katara, and Appa boarded Appa, and they set off for their long awaited destination, the Northern Water Tribe.


	5. The Moon And The Ocean

Chapter Wu- The Moon And The Ocean

It took another two long days, but Aang, Cheng Xin, Katara, and Sokka finally reached the North Pole and even more so the Northern Water Tribe. They were immediately welcomed with open arms as the waterbenders led them into the city. Cheng Xin was gaping at the entire city with pure astonishment. Everything from the buildings to the sidewalks were made of pure ice and snow and the very streets were streams.

Cheng Xin gasped in a low tone. "Wow, this place is so beautiful."

Sokka overheard her. "Beautiful? Don't get all mushy on us now."

She smiled and corrected herself. "What I mean is that this place is amazing. I've never seen anything like it."

However, Sokka's attention drifted when he noticed a girl floating by them in a canoe. She had tan skin like more Water Tribe members, blue eyes, and an unusual snow white hair. "Nope, never seen anything like _her_."

"Huh?" Cheng Xin said, confused as she glanced in the direction Sokka was looking. "Oh you mean that girl?"

"Yeah."

Grinning, she nudged him. "I bet you two copper pieces that she says no."

...

That night a ceremony was held with Aang, Cheng Xin, Katara, and Sokka as the guests of honor. They were directed to sit at one of the tables next to some of the important leaders. Sokka took his seat first, and Katara sat next to her brother. However when Aang was about to sit next to Katara, Cheng Xin beat him to it.

Aang looked at her nervously. "Um, Cheng, actually I wanted to…."

She raised an eyebrow. "Wanted to what?"

"Never mind." Aang sighed defeated, and reluctantly sat down next to Cheng Xin.

The Chief stepped forward and called everyone's attention. "Tonight, we celebrate the arrival of our brother and sister from the Southern Tribe, and they have brought with them two very special people! Both from a nation that had faded from this world!" He gestured to the gang. "The first is, airbender Cheng Xin, the last surviving member of the Eastern Air Temple!"

Cheng Xin stood up and shyly looked down at her feet as everyone applauded her. She wasn't used to getting this kind of attention, and was normally more insignificant with the other children back at her village.

"And the second, someone we believed to have disappeared until now, the Avatar!" the Chief said, as Aang stood up as well. "We also celebrate my daughter's sixteenth birthday! Princess Yue is now of marrying age!"

A young girl stepped forward with her servants behind her. Sokka and Cheng Xin immediately recognized her as the same girl who passed by in the canoe.

"Hey, Sokka, there goes your girlfriend," Cheng Xin said, smirking.

Sokka put a finger to his lips and shushed as Yue sat beside him. "Shut up."

He turned to Yue and gave her a cheesy grin. "Hey there. Sokka, Southern Water Tribe."

"Very nice to meet you," Princess Yue said.

"So, uh…you're a Princess!" She nodded in reply. He smiled and said, "You know, back in my tribe, I'm kinda like a Prince myself!"

Katara glanced at him skeptically while Cheng Xin laughed. "Ha! Prince of what?"

"A lot of things!" Annoyed, Sokka gave the two of them a slight glare. "Uh, do you mind? I'm trying to have a conversation here!"

"My apologies, Prince Sokka," Katara said, slightly bowing.

"So it looks like I'm gonna be in town for awhile. I'm thinking maybe we could…do an activity together?" Sokka said, his demeanor bashful.

Princess Yue giggled, amused. "Do an activity?"

Unsure of what to say, Sokka decided to stuff his face full of food before remaining silent.

"Very smooth." Katara smirked while Cheng Xin gained a mischievous glint in her eyes.

Cheng Xin gained a muchievous glint in her eye. Maybe they could have some fun with this. She looked at Katara and spoke loud enough for Sokka to hear. "Hey, Katara, would _you_ like to do an _activity_ together?"

Katara looked at her confused when Cheng Xin gave her a wink, and she understood. "Uh, yeah sure. What kind of _activity_ would you like to do?"

"How about a midnight walk? The moon is so lovely outside and it really brings out your eyes," Cheng Xin said.

"Yeah, that sounds like a wonderful _activity_!" Katara giggled. "What do you think, Sokka?" She grinned while turning toward him.

Sokka gave them both a death glare and point toward the palace entrance. "Just…go."

"Well you heard his royal majesty. Shall we go, Katara?" Cheng Xin stood and offered her arm.

"Of course, Cheng Xin, you're such a gentleman." Katara said in a sweet tone. They laughed their way out of the palace making Sokka slam his head against the table and groan miserably.

Aang had left the table to talk to Master Pakku, the waterbending teacher. He was coming back and noticed that Katara and Cheng Xin were missing. He looked at Sokka, who was sitting with his head in his hands.

"Hey, Sokka, what happened to Katara and Cheng?" Aang said.

"They went for a walk together," Sokka said. "I can't believe it! The little twerp's barely a teenager, and yet Cheng could ask out Katara better than I could Yue."

"Asked her out?" Aang nearly choking on the words. _But Cheng is even younger than me; how could he be so successful!_

...

It was the next morning, and Aang, Katara, and Cheng Xin were headed toward the training area to meet up with Master Pakku.

"I've waited for this day my whole life! I finally get to learn from a real waterbending master!" Katara said, excited.

Cheng Xin smiled. "Well I'm sure you'll do fine, Katara. I mean you're already good at what you've taught yourself."

Aang was slightly glaring at the couple. In truth nothing had gone on between Katara and Cheng other than a playful joke at Sokka's expense, but the young Avatar didn't know that. A little further ahead Master Pakku was waterbending and Aang immediately ran up to him.

"Good morning, Master Pakku!" Aang said.

Master Pakku dropped the water he was bending and groaned. "No, please, march right in, I'm not concentrating or anything."

Aang pointed toward Katara. "Uhh…this is my friend, Katara, the one I told you about?"

"I'm sorry. I think there's been a misunderstanding." Master Pakku frowned as he looked at Katara with distaste. "You didn't tell me your friend was a girl. In our tribe, it is forbidden for women to learn waterbending."

"What do you mean you won't teach me?" Katara walked up to Pakku. "I didn't travel across the entire world so you could tell me no."

"No."

"But there must be other female waterbenders around here, right?" Cheng Xin said, stepping forward.

"Here the women learn from Yugoda to use their waterbending to heal. I'm sure she would be happy to take this girl as her student despite her bad attitude," Master Pakku said.

Katara stomped her foot on the ground. "I don't want to heal, I want to fight!"

He stared at her, unerved. "I can see that. But our tribe has customs, rules."

"Well your rules stink!"

"Yeah! They're not fair," Aang said. "If you won't teach Katara, then…."

"Then what?" Master Pakku said.

Aang walked away from him. "Then I won't learn from you!"

Master Pakku sneered at him. "Well have fun teaching yourself. I'm sure you'll do a great job."

"No, Aang didn't mean that," Cheng Xin said. She knew the rules were unfair, but when were they not when you're a girl? The whole point was for Aang to continue his training as the Avatar. She put a hand on his shoulder. "Aang, you can't sacrifice your chance to learn how to properly waterbend."

He shrugged it off stubbornly and sighed. "I guess."

"He's right. You have to learn from Master Pakku, even if he is a big jerk," Katara said, walking away with Cheng Xin following behind her.

"Cheng, where are you going? I thought you wanted me help you with some more airbending lessons while I trained?" Aang said.

She shrugged and gestured at Pakku. "Sorry, Master Aang, but you need more help than I do right now."

Katara picked up her pace, and was storming back into the main part of the city.

"Katara! Wait up!" Cheng Xin said, as she finally caught up with her. She panted slightly. "What's the rush?"

"I'm so angry!" Katara kicked the snow underneath her feet. "All that work we spent traveling from the South Pole to get up here, and I'm no better off than I was at home!"

Cheng Xin sighed. "It's the life a girl, Katara. You can't escape it any more than any other female in world can."

"But it's not fair."

"Then do something about it, but standing here venting to me isn't going to change anything," Cheng Xin said.

"I still don't understand why you continue with this disguise." Katara put her hands on her hips. "You don't have the same problem I have. You can still airbend regardless, and besides, your grandparents aren't here to tell you what to do."

Cheng Xin folded her arms and narrowed her eyes. "No my grandparents aren't here with me, but I wasn't raised the same way as you. My destiny is to grow up and get married to someone of their choice, and that person is Aang. But I refused to do so, and by doing this, by pretending to be a guy…this is my way of fighting back."

"But can't you still refuse to marry him as a girl?" Katara said.

"No, because do you think my grandparents will be the first or the last people to come up with this arrangement. How do you know Aang might not think the same thing?" Cheng Xin said.

Katara rolled her eyes. "Because I know Aang, he wouldn't force you into something you didn't want to do! If anything you're nothing but a coward, waltzing around like this and not facing your problem head on."

"Not all problems can be faced head on, sometimes things need to be worked around if you want to be free to live your own life." Cheng Xin frowned. "And since you're obviously taking out your anger on me just because Master Pakku won't teach you…I'll leave."

"Well fine, I didn't want to hang out with you anyway!" Katara said, storming off in the opposite direction.

Cheng Xin walked for while with her eyes directed toward the ground. She was still steamed from Katara and her little tiff, when she suddenly bumped into someone. Cheng Xin fell to the ground and glanced up to see Sokka.

"Oh, Cheng Xin, sorry about that," Sokka said, after he turned around and noticed her. "Here." He smiled, holding out his hand.

"Thanks," Cheng Xin said, letting Sokka help her up. "You seem in a very cheery mood today, something good happen?"

Sokka cheered, raising his hands in the air. "Yeah, Princess Yue agreed to go out with me!"

Cheng Xin smirked and sang in a teasing tone, "Aw, how cute. Sokka and Yue sittin' in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g!"

"Shut up! We haven't gotten that far yet!" Sokka said, blushing.

"Relax I'm just joking," Cheng Xin said, laughing.

Sokka grinned at her with a suave expression. "Anyway, what about you, Cheng? Do you have any special ladies in mind?"

"Nope."

"Well why not? You're an airbender! I mean how many lucky girls get the chance of dating an Air Nomad these days?" Sokka said.

_For starters, I'm not attracted to girls, and there's no chance that I would ever go down that road._ Cheng Xin smiled sheepishly. "Give me a break, Sokka. I'm only eleven; I have plenty of time to find a girl."

He smirked while folded his arms. "I suppose, guess you're the patient type huh?"

"Yep, that's me," Cheng Xin said.

"Yeah well, I have to head over to warrior training." Sokka began to walk away, but he stopped and turned around. "And if you need any dating advice, I'm here for you man." He smiled and gave her a small wink.

Cheng Xin paused for a second while staring Sokka in the eye before waving him off. Once Sokka was gone she directed her gaze at her feet, and placed her hands on her cheeks as she felt them heat up against bitter, cold air. _Is it me, or is Sokka kind of cute when he smiles like that?_ She quickly shook the thought from her head. "Oh please, get a hang of yourself, girl, I'm much too young for him to even give me a second glance. Heh, second glance, as if. He wouldn't give me a _first_ glance."

...

That night everyone met back at the ice hut that was given to them by the Chief. Katara, Aang, Sokka, and Cheng Xin all had either exhausted or grim expressions crossing their features as they slumped into the main room and tossed their sleeping bags on the floor.

"How's warrior training going?" Katara said.

In reply Sokka merely kicked his sleeping bag open and lay on the floor with grief.

"That bad?" Aang said.

"No, it's Princess Yue. I don't get it. One minute she wants to go out with me, and the next she's telling me to get lost!" Sokka groaned. "So how's waterbending training?"

This time it was Katara's turn to fall to the floor in defeat.

"Master Poophead won't teach her because she's a girl," Aang said. "What about you, Cheng? Have you been keeping up with the exercises I assigned you?"

She nodded. "Yes, I did twenty laps around the block, fifty reps of push ups, fifty reps of squats, a hundred reps of breathing, and I'm working on that air whip move you showed me." It was then a thought occurred to her. "You know I was wondering, Katara. Just because Pakku won't teach you it doesn't mean you still can't learn those same moves from Aang."

"Why didn't I think of that?" Katara said, as she stood up and turned toward Aang. "At night, you can teach whatever moves you learned from Master Pakku. That way you have someone to practice with and I get to learn waterbending. Everyone's happy!"

"I'm not happy," Sokka said from his place on the floor.

"But you're never happy." Katara took Aang by the hand and ran out of the hut. "Come on, Aang."

"Finally some peace and quiet," Cheng Xin said, as she lay down on her sleeping bag when she heard Sokka whine again. "Okay _Mister Not Happy_, how are you going to fix your problem?"

"I don't know. Why did she _yes_ one minute, and then tell me _no_ the next?"

She shrugged. "Well she is a Princess, something could have happened between the two times you guys talked."

"You're right, she is a _Princess_. What could she possibly see in me? Yue probably thinks I'm not even good enough for her." He buried his face in his arms.

"Something tells me the problem isn't as complicated as you're making it," Cheng Xin said, before closing her eyes and drifting off to sleep.

...

The next day Sokka and Cheng Xin woke up and discovered that Aang and Katara had created a new problem during their rendezvous the night before. Pakku caught Aang trying to teach Katara waterbending and disowned Aang as his student. Now the gang was confronting the Chief along with Pakku, Princess Yue, and the rest of the council to fix the ordeal.

"What do you want me to do? Force Master Pakku to take Aang back as his student?" the Chief said.

Katara nodded. "Yes! Please."

"I suspect he might change his mind _if_ you swallow your pride and apologize to him."

She glanced at Aang decided to agree for his sake. "Fine."

"I'm waiting, little girl," Master Pakku said, with a smug grin on his face.

"No!" Katara was infuriated by his attitude. "No way am I apologizing to a sour old man like you!" The ice around her began to crack and break. "I'll be outside if you're man enough to fight me!" She stormed out of the room.

"I'm sure she didn't mean that," Aang said.

Sokka folded her arms. "Yeah, I think she did."

"Either way, I think we should go now," Cheng Xin said, as she tugged Aang and Sokka by the arm and dragged them outside to catch up with Katara.

"Are you crazy, Katara? You're not gonna win this fight!" Sokka said, as he ran up to his sister's side.

"I know! I don't care!"

"You don't have to do this for me. I can find another teacher," Aang said.

She shook her head. "I'm not doing it for you! Someone needs to slap some sense into that guy!" They reached the bottom of the steps only to see Pakku walk past them. "So, you decided to show up?" .

"Go back to the healing huts with the other women where you belong," Master Pakku said, without turning around.

Cheng Xin, Aang, and Sokka were watching from the sidelines as Katara water whipped Pakku. A crowd of people started to form as the Katara and Master Pakku began to duel. Cheers erupted from the audience everytime Katara managed to defend herself, and Cheng Xin was impressed to see Katara being able to hold her own despite her inexperience compared to Master Pakku.

"Katara's a really strong-willed person, you honestly have to admire character like that," Cheng Xin said, smiling.

Aang turned, overhearing her. "You actually _do_ like Katara, don't you?" His tone was sad and distraught.

She stared at him. "Me and Katara? Of course not."

"But what about the other night when we first arrived here, and you asked her out?" Aang questioned.

"Asked her out?" Cheng Xin said, confused. She tried to remember what he was talking about, and laughed "Oh that…I wasn't asking her out. Katara and I were teasing Sokka because he was trying to ask out Princess Yue."

He looked at her, relieved. "Then you never went out with her?"

"No, she's not even my type. Why do you even care anyway…?" She noticed the odd expression on his face as he briefly glanced back at Katara.

Cheng Xin grinned. "You're the one that likes her."

"Uh, no…what do you mean…I never said that," Aang said, directing his gaze away from her.

"Okay, okay, no need to get all jumpy." She gave him a small smile. "And don't worry, your secret's safe with me."

Aang smiled back when two of them saw Katara pinned down with icicles by Master Pakku.

"This fight is over," Master Pakku said, as he walked away.

Katara struggled to get out of her icy prison. "Come back here! I'm not finished yet!"

"Yes, you are." Master Pakku stumbled upon Katara's necklace that got knocked into the snow, and gasped. "This is my necklace!"

"No it's not, it's mine! Give it back!" Katara said..

Master Pakku picked up the necklace, his stern face, softening. "I made this sixty years ago, for the love of my life. For Kana."

"My Gran-Gran was supposed to marry you?" Katara said, surprised as the ice around her melted.

"I carved this necklace for your grandmother when we got engaged. I thought we would have a long, happy life together. I loved her."

"But she didn't love you, did she? It was an arranged marriage." Katara walked up to him. "Gran-Gran wouldn't let your tribe's stupid customs run her life. That's why she left. It must have taken a lot of courage." She glanced at Cheng Xin from the corner of her eye.

"Katara, I've come to a decision." Master Pakku turned to face her. "If you truly want to become a waterbender, I will willingly accept you as my student."

"Really, you mean it?" Katara said, receiving a simple nod in reply. "Oh thank you, Master Pakku, I promise I won't let you down." She bowed to him.

Pakku handed Katara her necklace back, and she immediately walked up Aang and Cheng Xin.

"Congratulations, Katara! It looks like we'll be able to learn waterbending together after all," Aang said.

"Yeah, it's great. Have a fun time, Katara," Cheng Xin said, her tone bitter. She headed back up the stairs and out of sight.

Aang raised an eyebrow. "What's up with him?"

"I've got a feeling…." Katara said, before following her.

Cheng Xin almost made it back to their hut when she heard Katara calling after her. Stopping in her tracks, Cheng Xin stiffly turned around to face her.

"What?"

"I just want to talk, Cheng Xin." Katara stopped in front of her. "Look I'm sorry for what I said yesterday. I don't think you're a coward for trying to find a way around your situation."

She sighed. "It's okay I don't expect for you understand my way of doing things."

"I know, but I'm just worried about you. I mean you might be able to pretend now, but what happens when you get older? I highly doubt you'll be able to fool anybody then," Katara said.

"Yeah, well I'll cross that bridge when I get to it." Cheng Xin stifled a laugh. "Besides we have until the end of the summer to defeat the Fire Lord, I'm sure I won't _grow up_ that much by then."

Katara held out her hand. "All right. Friends."

"Friends," Cheng Xin said, shaking her hand. "And hey, check out this new move Aang taught me."

Cheng Xin got into a stance and took a death breath. As she exhaled, she sliced her hand forward, creating a whip of air that slashed through the water.

"Wow that was really good," Katara said, applauding her.

Unfortunately a little farther off, the air whip hit into one of the canoes that were passing by. The blow knocked two of the passengers into the water.

"Uh oh." Cheng Xin gasped when she noticed the people look their way. "Um, nobody saw that, run!" She took Katara by the hand and ran off in another direction.


	6. Secret's Out

QueenofNobodies: "Thanks to PeterChameleon for beta-reading this. Enjoy!"

* * *

Chapter Liu- Secret's Out

About a week or so passed by and Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Cheng Xin were happily residing in the Northern Water Tribe. Katara and Aang were able to learn waterbending from Master Pakku, Cheng Xin continued practicing her airbending, and everything pretty much remained very peaceful. This was, of course, because no one was aware of the large fleet of Fire Navy ships that were steadily heading their way.

It was early morning and Master Pakku was having another session with his students. Today, everyone was sparring with each other, and by the end, Katara was deeming herself the winner. However, out of all the students, Aang was spending his time lazily playing with Momo.

"Pupil Aang!" Master Pakku said.

"Yes, Master Pakku?" Startled, Aang quickly brought himself to his feet.

"Would you like to step into the sparring circle?" He gestured behind him towards the other students. "I assume that since you have found time to play with house pets, you must have already mastered waterbending."

"Well, I wouldn't say mastered, but check this out," Aang said, as he bended the snow around himself and turned into a snowman, only to have Momo knock him over.

"Come on, Aang, can't you take this a little more seriously?" Katara said, walking up to him.

Aang quickly lifted himself off of the ground. "Hey, I was just having some fun."

"She is right, pupil Aang. If you want to improve on your waterbending, you need to focus," Master Pakku said. He pointed at Cheng Xin, who was practicing an airbending move a little ways away from them. "Just look at your friend. He's your own student and he's concentrating more than you."

Soon the class was over, and Aang continued to play in the snow. Meanwhile, Katara walked over to Cheng Xin.

"I've been watching you practice. You're getting much better," Katara said, causing Cheng Xin to stop what she was doing and turn around.

"Yeah, some of the moves Aang's been showing me are still kind of hard, but I think I'm getting the hang of it," Cheng Xin said. "Personally, I think it would be a little easier to practice if it wasn't so cold up here. Every time I take a deep breath, I can feel my insides turn to ice."

Katara and Cheng Xin shared a small laugh, but stopped when it started to snow. This was a common thing since they were at the North Pole, however something seemed odd about this particular flurry of snow. More than half of it was dyed black.

"Hey, look," Cheng Xin said, pointing up to the black snow.

"Oh no," Katara gasped.

Confused to the true meaning of the situation, Cheng Xin asked, "What is it?" However, she could tell that what ever the answer was it wasn't good.

A grim expression spread across Katara's face as she glanced towards the sky. "The Fire Nation. They're headed toward the North Pole."

"How do you know?" Cheng Xin caught the black snow and examined it.

"The same thing happened a while ago..." Katara said, placing a hand on her necklace as her eyes turned watery. "...When I was still living in the South Pole."

..........

The rest of the Water Tribe became alert to the oncoming danger and the chief quickly summoned everyone for an important meeting.

"The day we have feared for so long has arrived. The Fire Nation is on our doorstep. It is with a great sadness that I call my family here before me, knowing well that some of these faces are about to vanish from our tribe. But they will never vanish from our hearts," the chief said, before raising his hands in the air, and gazing up toward the heavens. "Now, as we approach the battle for our existence, I call upon the great spirits! Spirit of the Ocean! Spirit of the Moon! Be with us!" Finished with his prayer he returned his attention to the crowd. "I'm going to need volunteers for a dangerous mission!"

"Count me in," Sokka said, as he stepped forward.

Right afterwords a group of men quickly formed a line in front of the chief. "Be forewarned. Many of you will not return. Come forward to receive my mark if you accept the task."

..........

Later, everyone prepared for battle. Aang stepped outside, looking toward the horizon.

"The stillness before battle is unbearable. Such a quiet dread," the chief said, as he, Katara, and Cheng Xin joined Aang.

"I wasn't there when the Fire Nation attacked my people. I'm gonna make a difference this time," Aang said aloud before he stood up and turned towards Cheng Xin. "Are you ready, Cheng? We're going to need all the help we can get."

"Yes. This time, I'll fight." Cheng Xin nodded. She still wasn't completely sure if she was ready, but she was here and she had to tried. She no longer in the safety of her village with her grandparents.

The moment of truth arrived as the first Fire Navy ship approached the city. Everyone was stationed at the wall when a giant fireball blasted through, knocking everyone down. The barrage of fireballs continued as the ships drew closer. Aang and Cheng Xin set out on Appa in the direction of the scouting ship.

"We need to take out those catapults," Aang said, glancing back at Cheng Xin, who was sitting behind him.

It was then that Cheng Xin spotted a large fireball headed straight towards them. "Aang, look out!"

Aang turned back around just in time to blast the fireball away with his staff. Soon they were close enough to the scouting ship, and Aang opened his staff into its glider form. "Here, Cheng, hold onto my waist."

Cheng Xin did as she was told as Aang jumped off of Appa, and they landed on the ship. A group of firebenders immediately shot a stream of fire in their direction. However, Aang was able to swipe them away using his staff. Aang quickly ran to one of the catapults as a group of soldiers chased after him.

"Not so fast!" Cheng Xin said, as she air-whipped the soldiers away from Aang.

Aang continued to destroy the catapults while Cheng Xin fended off the soldiers. That was, until a large man wielding two giant hammers started attacking them. Aang ended up getting tied down, when Appa flew onto the ship and tossed the guy into the ocean.

"Thanks for the save, buddy," Aang said, as he broke free. "You okay, Cheng?"

"Yeah, let's go," Cheng Xin said, as she jumped onto Appa.

They rode off into the sky, allowing the waterbenders to take down the rest of the ship. Aang seemed pleased with their success until he saw the thousands of ships waiting beyond the scouting one.

"You've got to be kidding me," Aang said in disbelief.

..........

The war raged on, but soon night fell and the Fire Nation decided to withdraw their attack. During the fight, Cheng Xin had gotten separated from Aang as they were taking down the ships. Luckily, one of the waterbending canoes found her and brought her back to safety. Once back within the city, Cheng Xin went to search for Aang and the others when she ran into Princess Yue.

"Oh, Cheng Xin, I'm glad I found you," Yue said, relieved.

Cheng Xin notcied the panicked expression on her face. "Why, what's the matter?"

Princess Yue calmed herself down so she could speak clearly. "Aang and Katara are in trouble. Some Fire Nation soldier showed up while we were in the oasis. Aang is defenseless, and I don't think Katara can fight on her own."

"Okay, I'm on it," Cheng Xin said. "Where's the oasis?"

"Just down that hall and through a small door in the wall," Yue said. "Please hurry and help them, while I go and find Sokka."

"Right." Cheng Xin rushed down the hall.

The sun began to peek over the eastern horizon just as Cheng Xin reached the door and found herself in a strange, open area. However, it was different from the rest of the North Pole. Instead of being covered in ice and snow, this place was warm with grass and plants growing healthily out of the ground. Unfortunately, Cheng Xin didn't have much time to gape at the beautiful scenery when she saw Katara get hit by a large blast of fire. She fell to the ground and lay motionless, while a second figure headed towards Aang, who seemed to be in a permanent meditation state.

It was then Cheng Xin recognized the assailant. He was bald except for a long ponytail of black hair sprouting from the very top of his head, and on the left side of his face was a huge scar covering his left eye. Cheng Xin gasped as she remembered Sokka's description from before.

_Prince Zuko._

"You rise with the moon, I rise with the sun," Zuko said, looming over Katara as he gripped Aang by his collar.

"And I rise for my friends!" Cheng Xin jumped up and blew a gust of air from her mouth straight at Zuko.

Barely having time to turn around, Zuko was immediately hit and he tumbled to the ground, dropping Aang in the process. Cheng Xin walked up to him with her hands in a defensive stance as Zuko regained his composure and rose to his knees.

"Just what I need, another nuisance." Zuko growled before he quickly jumped up and sent a stream of fire at her from his feet.

Cheng Xin did her best to dodge the attack, only getting her clothes singed in the process. Forming another stance, Cheng Xin took a deep breath and swung her arms to the right, creating an air whip that smacked Zuko across the face. She noticed Zuko's eyes widened after being hit.

"You! You're an airbender? That's not possible!" Zuko said, shocked.

Ignoring his outburst Cheng Xin kept her focus on helping her friends. "Well, whether you believe it or not isn't my problem. Now, leave Aang and Katara alone!"

Zuko's expression returned to an angry glare as he sent a furious barrage of flames at her. Cheng Xin tried to block the fire as best she could, but was too overwhelmed and ended up getting burned. She let out a yelp of pain and fell to the ground unconscious. Smirking to himself, Zuko took Aang and fled, but not before giving the defeated Cheng Xin another glance.

_How? How can that be?_

..........

It was some time later that Sokka and Yue showed up on Appa. Coming back to consciousness, Katara sprung up, realizing that both Aang and Zuko were long gone. She failed.

"Aang!" she called out desperately.

Sokka quickly jumped down from Appa, and ran up to Katara. "What happened? Where's Zuko?"

"He took Aang. He took him right out from under me," Katara replied casting her eyes down to the ground.

"Oh no, Cheng Xin!" Yue gasped as she ran over to her wounded body.

Katara and Sokka followed to find Cheng Xin still lying limp on the ground. Her clothes were singed and she had burn marks on right side of her jaw as well as her hands and arms.

Shocked, Katara knelt down beside Cheng Xin and began to heal her wounds. "How long has he been there?"

"I sent Cheng Xin over here before I found Sokka," Yue replied.

"He must have tried to fight off Zuko," Sokka stated when Cheng Xin finally came to.

"Wha...what's going on?" Cheng Xin said, as she tried to sit up only to have Katara push her back down.

"Hold still, I need to properly heal your wounds," Katara said.

"Where's Aang?"

Katara cased her eyes down to the ground once again, too ashamed of herself to look anyone in the eye. "Zuko took him. And it was all my fault. I can't believe I lost him."

"No, it's not, Katara. You and Cheng did everything you could. Now we need to do everything we can to get him back," Sokka reasoned.

Katara nodded as she finished her work. "All right."

Everyone was walking towards Appa except for Cheng Xin, who stood up and headed towards the pond.

"Are you coming, Cheng?" Katara asked.

"No, I'm just going to wait here with Momo," Cheng Xin said, as she sat down.

"Good idea, in case Aang comes back," Sokka said.

The others quickly boarded Appa and disappeared into the sky, towards the frozen tundra beyond the oasis. Cheng Xin patiently waited and watched the fish swim in the small pond. They were koi fish; one was completely black except for a large white spot on the top of his head while the other was completely white except for a large black spot on its head.

"They almost look like the yin and yang symbol," Cheng Xin said to herself.

Undeknown to her, Aang had returned from the spirit world but he was invisible to her and Momo's eyes. It was then that his spirit glowed bright and shot out into the sky. Cheng Xin noticed the white light flying off towards the tundra and stood up.

"Aang."

Suddenly, out of nowhere, bursts of flames shot out of the darkness straight at Cheng Xin and Momo. Cheng Xin managed to run out of the way without getting harmed.

"Oh no." Cheng Xin gasped as she saw the Fire Nation soldiers enter the grove. She glared at the Admiral. "Zhao."

"Hmm, I remember you. You're with the Avatar," Zhao said, glancing in her direction. "Men, capture that brat. He could be of use to us later."

Still a bit weakened from the last small fight, Cheng Xin easily fell victim to the soldiers. Meanwhile, Zhao walked up to the pond and snatched the white koi fish, causing the entire land and sky to bleed red.

Cheng Xin struggled in the soldiers' grip. "Stop it! Let go of me!"

"Silence!" Zhao returned his attention to the fish. "I am a legend now! The Fire Nation will for generations tell stories about the great Zhao who darkened the moon! They will call me Zhao the Conqueror! Zhao the Moon Slayer! Zhao the invincible!"

"How about, Zhao, the guy who's about to get his butt whooped!" Cheng Xin said, as she took a deep breath and shot a ball of air at Zhao, almost knocking him into the pond.

This also caused the soldier that was holding her to get knocked down as Cheng Xin propelled herself backwards. Another soldier tried to grab hold of her, but she ran out of the way.

Zhao looked at her surprised. "Another airbender?"

It was then that Aang and the others showed up on Appa. Cheng Xin quickly rushed over to them as they began to face off with Zhao and his men.

"Don't bother!" Zhao threatened, holding his fist to the bag with the koi fish in it.

"Zhao! Don't!" Aang let down his staff.

"It's my destiny, to destroy the moon and the Water Tribe," Zhao said, determined.

"Destroying the moon won't just hurt the Water Tribe. It will hurt everyone, including you. Without the moon, everything would fall out of balance. You have no idea what kind of chaos that would unleash on the world," Aang said.

"He is right, Zhao!" a male voice spoke.

From the shadows, a much older man in a red cloak stepped forth. He was heavy set, with a gray beard and sideburns, and wise golden eyes.

Zhao merely sighed looking unnerved. "General Iroh, why am I not surprised to discover your treachery?"

"I'm no traitor, Zhao. The Fire Nation needs the moon, too. We all depend on the balance," the man known as Iroh explained. "Whatever you do to that spirit, I'll unleash on you tenfold! Let it go now!"

Zhao did as he was told, and freed the white koi fish into the pond. However, in a fit of frustration and rage, he unleashed a giant stream of flames that cut through the water, killing the koi fish in the process. The moon faded completely from sight, sending the entire world into darkness.

The fight began as Zhao fled and Iroh fended off the other soldiers. Meanwhile, Aang, Sokka, Katara, Yue, and Cheng Xin examined the white koi fish that was floating belly up in the pond, with a large, bleeding gash across its stomach.

"There's no hope now. It's over," Yue said, looking down at the moon spirit sorrowfully.

Suddenly, Aang's arrows and eyes lit up as he stepped into the pond, and faced the black koi fish who was the ocean spirit. He sank into the water, and further in the distance, a giant monstrous creature formed with the head of the koi fish and Aang floating in its center. It attacked all of the soldiers and ships, sending them running.

The others were left to care for the dead moon spirit. It was then that Iroh noticed Yue.

"You have been touched by the Moon Spirit. Some of its life is in you!" Iroh said.

"Yes, you're right. It gave me life. Maybe I can give it back," Yue decided, as she walked over to him when Sokka decided to stop her.

"No! You don't have to do that!" He then took hold of her hand. "Your father told me to protect you."

"It's my duty, Sokka. I have to do this," Yue said, determined.

Princess Yue placed her hands on the moon spirit's injury and the second she did, her energy was completely zapped and she fell unconscious.

"No!" Sokka said, catching her before she hit the ground. He checked her pulse, but felt nothing and lowered his head sadly. "She's gone. She's gone."

Soon after, the moon spirit healed itself, allowing Iroh to place it back into the water. The entire pond lit up and the spirit of Yue appeared before them.

"Goodbye Sokka, I will always be with you," Yue spoke in a heavenly voice as she kissed Sokka and faded away.

The bright light of the moon returned immediately afterwords, and it was at that same time that Aang had defeated the Fire Nation soldiers. Some time later, after the Fire Nation retreated, the city was slowly pulling itself back together despite some of its tragic losses. Aang returned to the others.

"We did it Aang!" Cheng Xin cheered as she quickly gave Aang a hug.

"Yeah, we did," Aang said, he smiled as they separated.

"Hey, don't I get a hug too?" Katara laughed as they shared a group hug while Sokka placed his arm on Aang's shoulder.

Cheng Xin turned concerned. "So what happens now?"

"Master Pakku and some of the others want to go to the Southern Tribe. They agreed to bring us with them so we can head back to the Earth Kingdom, and Aang can now learn earthbending," Katara said.

"But who will I get to be an earthbending teacher?" Aang said.

"King Bumi, of course," Katara said.

Cheng Xin's expression grew worried. "I wonder how things are going to turn out?"

Sokka turned toward Cheng Xin. "What do you mean, Cheng? Nothing is really going to change all that much. We're still gonna have the same trouble we always have."

"I know, but Aang isn't the last airbender anymore and now that the secret's out. What will the Fire Nation do?" Cheng Xin said.


	7. Captured

Chapter Qui- Captured

The gang left the North Pole and set out for the Earth Kingdom so that Aang could learn earthbending. They traveled in Water Tribe ships instead of on Appa who was flying closely behind. That night, the group slept soundly in their hammocks, or at least two of them did. Aang and Katara were missing while Sokka groaned and mumbled loudly in his sleep. Cheng Xin, still wide awake from all of Sokka's noise, shoved a pillow shoved over her head.

Annoyed, Cheng Xin threw her pillow at Sokka, which was a fairly easy target since his hammock was right underneath her own. "Will you shut up already, ponytail! You could wake up the all the nations with that snoring!"

Sokka, however, didn't respond and continued his loud nasal symphony. Cheng Xin groaned as she tossed and turned, trying to go back to sleep. After a few minutes, she finally gave up, and glared down at Sokka. With a wave of her hand, she knocked Sokka out of his hammock, and he rolled onto the floor. Completely Startled, Sokka spun and flipped around on the floor like a fish out of water. Cheng Xin smirked to herself before finally going back to sleep.

It was then that Katara walked into the room. "Um, Sokka, why are you on the floor?"

Untangling himself from the covers, he whimpered, "I don't know…I just don't know."

After saying farewell to Master Pakku and the Water Tribe members, Aang, Cheng Xin, Katara, and Sokka continued their journey that morning. Mounting Appa, they flew to the Earth Kingdom base to meet up with General Fong so that he could escort them to Omashu.

The trip there was easy enough, and everything seemed to be going smoothly. That was of course until they reached their destination. General Fong suggested that Aang should fight the Fire Lord now, because of how he defeated the Fire Navy at the North Pole. The key to success was for Aang to enter the Avatar state, in which his eyes and tattoos glowed and he could harness unbelievable power. Sokka and Aang readily agreed to it, but Katara and Cheng Xin weren't so sure. Personally, Cheng Xin thought that the sooner they ended the war the better, but maybe forcing Aang into the Avatar state wasn't the best way to go about it.

After numerous attempts to transform Aang, he started doubting his choice to enter the Avatar state. But when he went to General Fong to decline the idea, the General went crazy and attacked Aang and the others. Rendering Cheng Xin and Sokka unconscious and threatening Katara's life, General Fong finally triggered Aang's Avatar state. Unfortunately, just like all the other times, when Aang went into this state he couldn't control himself. In the end, Aang returned to normal, the others were okay, and they decided to travel to Omashu without the General's help.

That night, they found a cozy place to camp out at, and stopped to rest. Katara and Sokka were the first to fall asleep, but Aang remained awake and restlessly stared up at the sky. Every so often, he sighed heavily, and around the tenth time, Cheng Xin decided to ask, "What's wrong, Aang?"

Aang turned, realizing he wasn't the only one awake, and sighed again. "It's nothing, go back to sleep."

"Are you sure? 'Cause if you want to talk, I'm all ears." Receiving no answer, Cheng Xin closed her eyes.

Lowering his head slightly, Aang decided to share his thoughts. "It's the Avatar state."

Cheng Xin sat up again and looked at him in confusion. "What do you mean?" She then crawled over to Aang, and placed a hand on his shoulder. "You don't want to transform again, do you?"

"No, no, it's nothing like that," Aang said, lifting his head to face her. "The last time I was in the Avatar state, I spoke with Roku."

Cheng Xin dropped her hand and raised an eyebrow. "Roku?"

"The Avatar before me. We can communicate to each other through the Avatar state." Aang gazed at the sky. "He said that the Avatar state allows me to bend the power of all the Avatars before me, but he also said…."

Cheng Xin noticed the worried expression on Aang's face. "What else did he say, Aang?"

Aang gulped before opening his mouth to speak. "He said that if I'm killed in the Avatar state, the Avatar would cease to exist."

"You mean another Avatar wouldn't be reincarnated into the cycle," Cheng Xin realized. "Are you worried, because you can't control the Avatar state yet?"

"Yes, it happens so much at random, who knows what kind of danger I'll be in the next time," Aang groaned.

Cheng Xin sighed. This was definitely a problem, but she didn't want Aang to worry. She placed a hand on his shoulder and gave him a reassuring smile. "Well, you'll always have me, Katara, and Sokka to back you up if you're ever in trouble. You're not going to die, not on our watch."

"Thanks, Cheng," Aang said with a smile. "Don't forget, tomorrow you need to get up early because we're going to practice some new moves."

Nodding, Cheng Xin returned to her sleeping bag, and the two of them joined Katara and Sokka in a peaceful slumber. The next morning, everyone woke up early to start the day. Sokka bathed in a nearby pond, Katara cared for Appa, and Cheng Xin and Aang trained diligently.

"So what are we learning today, Master Aang?" Cheng Xin said, bending forward in a bow.

Aang returned the bow, and smiled brightly at Cheng Xin. "Today, I'm going to teach you the air scooter."

Cheng Xin grinned, but was concerned at the same time. "But Aang, isn't that an advanced move?"

"Yes, but it doesn't hurt to challenge yourself." Aang then got into a neutral stance. "Okay, the trick is to create a ball of air, so you can be able to balance on it like a top."

Aang demonstrated the move, for Cheng Xin and then stood back to let Cheng Xin give it a try. "Like this?" She spun her hands around in the same motion, but barely created a sphere of air.

Cheng Xin tried again, and again, but she couldn't spin the air fast enough. Seeing her frustration, Aang stepped forward. "It's okay, Cheng; you don't have to get it on the first try. This is the reason why I wanted to teach you this move. Being able to spin air around, whether to create small tornadoes, whirlwinds, or for simple defense, is a crucial skill for all airbenders."

"Hey, Aang! come on. You need to practice some of your waterbending," Katara said as she walked up to them.

"All right. Cheng, keep practicing on rotating a sphere while I'm gone." Aang stepped in front of Cheng Xin and bowed.

Cheng Xin bowed back and smiled. "Thank you, Master Aang."

Sometime later the gang ran into a group of singing, music-playing nomads, who told them of a better way to travel to Omashu so they wouldn't be ambushed by the Fire Nation. It was a path that went through the mountain. Thanking the nomads for their help, the gang continued their journey.

...

Meanwhile somewhere far away and unknown to the gang, a new threat prepared itself to strike.

_"My brother and my uncle have disgraced the Fire Lord and brought shame on all of us. You may have mixed feelings about attacking members of the royal family; I understand. But I assure you, if you hesitate, I will not hesitate to bring you down. Dismissed."_

_"What are you doing here?"_

_"In my country, we exchange a pleasant hello before asking questions. Have you become uncivilized so soon, Zuzu?"_

_"Father regrets? He wants me back?"_

_"Set our course for home, Captain."_

_"You lied to me!"_

_"Why would he want you back home, except to lock you up where you can no longer embarrass him!"_

_"I think we're safe here."_

_"If I want to catch my prey, I must be agile...nimble. I need a small, elite team. It's time to visit some old friends. There will be no place left to hide."_

..._  
_

Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Cheng Xin reached the city of Omashu only to find it under the control of the Fire Nation. Katara suggested that they should move on, but Aang wanted to stay behind and find his childhood friend King Bumi. Aang went under disguise, and they managed to sneak into the city. Along the way they found out the Earth Kingdom citizens that living there were holding a resistance. However Aang convinced them they should flee; because they would be completely outnumbered otherwise.

As for actually leaving Omashu, Sokka came up with a plan. Using the sewer animal, the purple pentapus, they gave themselves a bad case of pentapox, causing the Fire Nation leaders to let them go under quarantine. When they Making it to the outside, they realized they had somehow received a new addition to their group - had someone extra. It was the governor's baby boy. Assuming they kidnapped his son, the governor offered King Bumi in exchange for his son for King Bumi.

Agreeing to the ransom, they returned to Omashu with the governor's son, arranging to meet. They met at the construction site. and after They waited a while before three teenage girls approached them.

Cheng Xin barely noticed two of the girls. One sported pink and wore her long brown hair twisted into a ponytail; the other garbed herself in hues of black and red, and wore a rather pale and bored expression on her face. The third girl, however, caught Cheng Xin's attention. She dressed the most elegant out of the three, a three-pronged flame crown adorning her head, her dark hair fashioned neatly into a bun. There was a dangerously aggressive aura about her, and Cheng Xin felt her fierce golden eyes pierce her very spirit.

"She looks like trouble," Cheng Xin thought as the gloomy girl spoke.

"Do you have my brother?"

Aang held up the baby in his hands. "Yeah, he's right here." Out of the corner of his eye, Aang glimpsed his friend Bumi being lowered in a steel cage.

"I'm sorry, but a thought just occurred to me. Do you mind?" the aggressive girl said, stepping forward.

The other girl turned towards her and gestured forward. "Of course not, Princess Azula."

Azula smirked. "We're trading a two-year-old for a king? A powerful, earthbending king?" She looked between Bumi and the baby. "It just doesn't seem like a fair trade, does it?"

"You're right," the gloomy girl considered what was said before facing the gang. "The deal's off!"

Aang watched in horror, as they carried his friend away. He rushed to help him, his disguise falling in the process. Unfortunately, as he did the cloth that he was using to cover his arrow fell off, and Azula recognized him immediately.

"The Avatar." She eyed Aang as he jumped over to Bumi's cage as it rose higher into the air. "My lucky day."

Azula chased after Aang, leaving the two other girls to fight Cheng Xin, Katara, and Sokka. They two girls charged at the gang; the gloomy girl threw aerial daggers straight at Katara, who blocked the attack with a solid wall of ice. Meanwhile Sokka held the baby, and tried to summon Appa at the same time. Cheng Xin however battled the perky girl, and surprisingly, the girl proved challenging for someone with no weapons or bending. Instead she was very agile and quick on her feet.

Every time Cheng Xin tried to strike her, she easily flipped and twisted out of the way. During the fight Just as Cheng Xin was about to execute another move, the perky girl managed to get behind Cheng Xin and give her a few quick jabs along the spine and shoulders. Suddenly Cheng Xin felt her muscles go numb, as if turned to jelly.

She fell to the ground weakly, and glared up at the girl. "What did you do?"

She merely giggled in reply before cart-wheeling away to help her friend.

"I can't move my arms. What did she do to me?" Cheng Xin thought.

The fight raged on as Katara faced the girls one on two, until she received the same blow as Cheng Xin. She wasn't paralyzed, but when she tried to bend her water nothing happened.

The gloomy girl smirked tauntingly her. "How are you gonna fight without your bending?"

She prepared to attack again when a boomerang knocked the dagger out of her hand.

"I seem to manage!" Sokka said, as he flew down on Appa.

Landing with his back facing the girls, Appa fanned his large tail. The force sent the two girls flying, but Cheng Xin got caught in the stream of air as well and went flying off the fixture with them.

Seeing this Katara's eyes widened in shock. "Oh, no…Cheng!"

"Hurry and get on; maybe we'll be able to spot him from up above," Sokka said.

Katara quickly jumped on Appa, and they flew into the air, while scoping out the city.

Grasping the reigns, and too preoccupied to fully search, Sokka turned towards his sister. "Do you see him?"

Katara squinted her eyes, trying to see the slightest hint of Cheng Xin's presence. "No, I don't see him anywhere." But she spotted Aang sliding down one of the mail shoots with Azula hot on his tail. "Wait, there's Aang!"

"We can catch him!" Sokka said, flying closer to them.

Aang saw them as well, and swirling a torrent of air around him, tried to navigate himself and Bumi toward Appa. Unfortunately, Aang missed his mark and landed somewhere else. Katara and Sokka circled the area, searching for Aang but un-able to recover their friend.

Safe again, Aang instantly realized someone was missing. "Hey, where's Cheng?"

"I don't know, we all kind of lost track of each other during the fight. He's down there somewhere," Katara said.

"Oh no," they heard Sokka gasp. "Aang, Katara, over there!" Down below, they saw Fire Nation soldiers scurrying away with Cheng Xin.

Aang quickly stood up and opened his glider. "We have to go back for him!"

Before he could leap away, Katara placed a hand on his shoulder. "Not with those three girls around; we barely escaped them this time. I mean, that crazy blue fire, and daggers…plus one of those girls had the power to take my bending away. There's nothing we can do for him now."

Reluctantly, Aang sat back down. "Yeah, I guess..." He looked out towards Omashu. "Hang on Cheng. We'll get you out of there soon…I promise."

As the soldiers carried her away, Cheng Xin regained consciousness. She couldn't see Aang and the others anywhere. But she could see the three girls from before.

"Princess, we captured one of the resistance. What do you want us to do with him?" one of the soldiers asked.

Azula frowned and walked up to Cheng Xin. Lifting a hand to her chin, Azula examined her face while a grin played across her lips. "Ty Lee told me all about you." She glanced at the perky girl before returning her attention to Cheng Xin. "You're the other airbender, aren't you little _girl_?"

Cheng Xin's eyes widened in shock. How was she able to see through her disguise so easily? "So what if I am?"

The grin on Azula's grin changed to a smirk. "My, my, what to do with you?" She then turned towards the gloomy girl. "Mai, I'm putting you in charge of the airbender. Make sure she doesn't escape."

Mai stepped forward and bowed. "Yes, Princess."

They clamped shackles on Cheng Xin, and Mai took hold of her.

"Wow, so much black. And I thought Mai was the only one who dressed depressing," Ty Lee said.

Mai grimaced and turned towards Azula as the princess stepped into her palanquin, and was silhouetted behind the veil. "So now we have to track down your brother and uncle?"

"It should be interesting seeing Zuko again, won't it Mai?" Ty Lee giggled, causing Mai to give a slight smile.

"It's not just Zuko and Iroh anymore. We have a third target now...the Avatar," they heard Azula say from behind the veil.

Cheng Xin, who had remained silent the entire time as Mai dragged her with the group glared at the Fire Nation Princess. "You'll never be able to defeat Aang. He's stronger than you'll ever be!"

Azula seethed, her expression hidden behind the veil. "How dare you talk down to me! You're lucky I haven't killed you…yet."

Cheng Xin bit her tongue and refrained from speaking. However Mai bent down and whispered in her ear, "Even though I would find it very entertaining to see you fight, I suggest you keep quiet if you don't want to be fried to a crisp."

A little while later Azula led the group to a giant Fire Nation ship. There were some soldiers and engineers working on a large tank. An army official approached the group and bowed to Azula.

"Princess, we are almost done with the tank. It should be ready within the hour."

Azula smiled, and stepping down from the palanquin. "Very good." She then gestured to Cheng Xin with a firm hand. "Take our prisoner to a cell, and await further orders.

"Yes, Princess." The man bowed and took hold of Cheng Xin.

Link the highlighted sentence above with the next paragraph below.

The next thing she knew, they locked her up with little hope of escape. Sighing, she laid on her side and stared up at the ceiling. "How am I going to get out of this one?"

Hours passed by as she heard the sounds of people talking and the noise of machinery. Soon The clanking of footsteps against harder metal grew louder as an unknown figure approached her cell door. Hearing the door creak open, Cheng Xin glanced up to see Azula was standing in the entrance.

"Listen, girl. I have some questions, and you're going to answer them."

Cheng Xin sat up to face her and frowned. "If you think I'm going to help you find the Avatar…."

Azula laughed as she interrupted her. "Oh, you're going to help me whether you want to or not. But I have more than one reason for coming here." Before Cheng Xin could react, Azula had her pinned her to the wall. "Now tell me…where are the other airbenders?"

Cheng Xin merely raised an eyebrow in reply.

"I said, answer me! Otherwise, you'll be getting a mouthful of lightning!" Azula tightened her grip, with two fingers pointed dangerously at Cheng Xin's face.

Flinching only slightly, Cheng Xin maintained her calm composure. "There are no more, just me and the Avatar."

Azula frowned, then glared at Cheng Xin's defiance. "That's impossible. All the Air Nomads were killed off decades ago; the Avatar was supposed to be the _last_ airbender. There's no way you could exist unless there are others! Now tell me where they are!"

Cheng Xin lowered her head and sighed. "I told you Princess, there's nothing to tell. I'm from the Earth Kingdom. My family is nothing but earthbenders."

Azula dropped Cheng Xin on the floor. She stared down at her with a blank face, and an unreadable expression in her eyes. "Fine. If you won't talk, you can forget any meals for the next few days. After all I need you alive in order to catch the Avatar, but just barely." She left the cell without another word, and slammed the door behind her.

Cheng Xin groaned as she laid back on her side. Bored, she took her great, grandmother's amulet from under her clothes and examined it. She noticed a faint line sliced into the back of the amulet. Fiddling with it, she managed to pry the amulet open. The back of the amulet opened like a locket, and there was a folded piece of parchment folded inside.

"How strange," Cheng Xin thought as she unfolded the parchment.

Wrapped inside was an odd swirled piece wrapped inside, with a peg and an indention on the two opposing sides, similar to like it was apart of a puzzle piece. Unsure of what it might meant, Cheng Xin set the piece aside. She glanced back at the parchment to see something written on it. She straightened the paper completely and silently read it.

_I, Ming, the last surviving airbender of this war, write this note for the one of my family who inherits my power. I have lived a long, full life, and I hope to pass down my knowledge to aid those fighting the war. Wrapped in this parchment is one piece of a three;together they form a sacred artifact. To find the next piece, you must return to the homeland where the mothhoppers crawl._

Cheng Xin picked up the swirled piece up again and scrutinized it with a raised eyebrow. "So odd. I wonder why ancestor Ming would leave this behind?" She then skimmed over the last few sentences of the note. "The homeland where the mothhoppers crawl?"

Confusion drowned her features, but with no other recourse to decipher the riddle, out she locked the swirled piece and the parchment inside the amulet. "Aang, Katara, Sokka, please find me soon."

...

Soon didn't come fast enough. Nearly a week had passed, and Cheng Xin still sat trapped in her cell. Azula's cruelty left her body malnourished and weak. She tried to keep her strength up by training when she could, but even that couldn't fight against the constant complaints of her stomach.

It seemed an eternity before Cheng Xin heard footsteps approach her cell. The door opened wide to reveal a bored-looking Mai. "It's time to go, girly." Once again, Mai bound Cheng Xin in shackles.

Mai led Cheng Xin to another part of the large tank where Azula and Ty Lee waited. Three mongoose dragons, reigned and saddled, sat behind three steel cages. Azula walked over to the first cage. "You brought the girl?"

Mai shoved Cheng Xin forward. "Yeah."

"Good. The Avatar is just at the top of that ridge," Azula said, as she and Ty Lee mounting their mongoose dragons. "Let's head out, ladies."

Mai did the same, and sat Cheng Xin down behind her. The large front door opened wide, revealing the dark night outside. In the distance, Cheng Xin could just make out Appa's shadowy form in the distance. "Aang…finally I'm saved."

Unfortunately, a sudden assault ordered by Azula caused this was not so. Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee began their assault on Aang and the others to fleeing off to some farther location.

"They ran again. Should we go back in the train?" Ty Lee asked.

Azula looked in the opposite direction. "No, they're already aware of our presence. We're better off traveling on foot. Besides, they won't be getting too far."

When the sun rose, and Azula and the girls were discovered a long trail of white hair. They followed the trail until they reached a stream, where they found a large patch of hair that was left behind. Stopping, the three girls dismounted, while Cheng Xin remained in her place.

"Wads of wet fur…how delightful," Mai said as Azula examined the trail.

Ty Lee looked skeptical look on her face. "Hmm, they're not wads…more like bundles…bunches? It's got an uh sound."

Mai considered her choice of words before saying, "Clumps."

"Clumps!" Ty Lee said cheerfully, hugging Mai. "They're clumps!"

Mai saw the trail lead off into another part of the forest. "The trail goes this way."

Azula, on the other hand, noticed a few trees in a different direction that had been broken off at the top. Broken by something big. "The Avatar is trying to give us the slip." She pointed towards the damaged trees. "You two head in that direction, and keep your eye out for the bison." Azula then walked over to the fur trail of fur. "I'll head this way."

"What about the girl?" Mai asked.

Azula grabbed hold of Cheng Xin's collar. "She's coming with me. It's about time she proved her worth."

Mai and Ty Lee nodded before mounting their mongoose dragons and leaving. Azula did the same, with Cheng Xin sitting behind her.

Cheng Xin merely glared, too weak to do anything else. "I told you before, I'm not helping you capture Aang."

"Right now, you don't have to do much of anything. Just sit back and relax," Azula said.

But Cheng Xin couldn't relax, not while she was trapped with this horrid girl. "You'll be sorry Azula. Aang's gonna kick your butt!"

Azula smirked, although Cheng Xin couldn't not see it. "I'd love to see him try."

Soon they exited the dense forest and crossed into the ruthless desert area of the Earth Kingdom. They came upon an abandoned, run-down town, and at the end of the fur trail stood Aang, ready and waiting.

Aang spotted Azula and stood up. "All right, you've caught up with me. Now who are you, and what do you want?"

Azula chuckled at his obliviousness. "You mean you haven't guessed? You don't see the family resemblance? Here's a hint." Azula placed a hand over her left eye and spoke in a mocking voice. "I must find the Avatar to restore my honor."

Aang remained unnerved, and continued to glared at her. "So what now?"

"Now? Oh, I'll tell you!" Azula then held up Cheng Xin. "Look at what I've got here!"

Despite his tired eyes, Aang became alert when he looked up. "Cheng!"

"Yes, Avatar. Surrender to me now, otherwise your little _girlfriend_ will pay the price!" Azula smirked.

Confusion invaded Aang's features, and he scowled slightly. "What? _He_ is not my girlfriend!"

Azula directed her attention to Cheng Xin, who smiled sheepishly. "Funny, I would have assumed otherwise since all she did was talk about you!" Azula looked back at Aang, and was amused by his expression.

_She…_

Aang wasn't sure what to think, but in light of the current situation, he focused back on Azula. "Look, I don't care who you are, but you better let go of my friend! I'm the one you want!"

"Very well," Azula replied, dropping Cheng Xin on the ground before dismounting her mongoose dragon.

Azula immediately shot a blast of blue fire in Aang's direction, but he merely dodged it by flying into the air with his glider. Seeing this, Azula sliced her hands forward, creating a long stream of blue fire that rained down on Aang before he could land somewhere safe. He turned himself around just in time and spun the fire away from himself with his staff. Azula quickly jumped onto one of the buildings and shot at Aang from above.

Aang dodged the attack again and ran, while Azula in hot pursuit him further. She chased him into one of the buildings, and nearly falling through the floorless room while Aang simply floated on a sphere of air. Regaining her balance, she shot at him once more, but he jumped out of the way and knocked her to the ground. Azula easily landed on her feet and dashed back outside, just as Aang was headed towards Cheng Xin. Azula sent a stream of fire at Aang, blocking his path and causing him to run towards another building.

Aang quickly leaped up a walls onto one of the roofs, but before he could do any more, Azula sent a blade of fire that cut through the side of the building he was on. The roof collapsed, and Aang tumbled down into the alleyway after nearly getting crushed by the rubble. Smirking, Azula approached the pile of debris to find Aang unconscious.

Azula lifted him out of the pile, her eyes shining with triumph. "This was easier than I thought. It's a wonder how my brother was unable to capture you."

Cheng Xin had helplessly watched the whole fight helplessly. She looked in shock as Azula carried a defeated Aang into the open. "No, Aang!" Concern and fear showed clearly on her face as she began to struggled.

Azula turned around, and smirked at Cheng Xin, who was desperately tried to break herself free. "Oh, yes. Your little friend." Dragging Aang's limp body with her, Azula walked over to Cheng Xin and placed a firm foot on her stomach. "Considering that I already have what I want, there's no point in keeping you alive anymore." Azula looked back at Aang as her smirk deepened.

Grabbing Cheng Xin in her free hand, Azula pulled her into one of the broken-down buildings. She dropped her in the dirt, and sent a stream of fire to the roof. The flames engulfed the ceiling, and red-hot ash fell down to the floor.

Calming her lungs from a choking fit, Cheng Xin scowled at Azula. "You won't get away with this!"

"I already have," Azula said. She walked out of the building with Aang, leaving Cheng Xin to die in her fiery prison.

Through the hazy smoke screen, Cheng Xin saw Azula mount her mongoose dragon, while Aang remained unconscious. Cheng Xin struggled harder to get out of her bonds with no success. "Aang, wake up! Don't let her take you! Aang…Aang!" She was too late. Azula was gone, and so was Aang. Cheng Xin groaned in defeat. Trapped like this, she would surely die unless someone came to find her. "Oh no, now what am I going to do?"

...

Azula returned to the tank where Mai and Ty Lee were waiting.

The first to spot their leader, Ty Lee cart-wheeled over to Azula. "Wow, Azula, you caught the Avatar. But then, what would I expect, with you being so strong and flawless." She cheerfully smiled.

"I know. By the way, did you manage to take care of your end?" Azula said.

Mai responded by lazily banging her fist against the entrance door, causing Sokka and Katara to come tumbling out, bound and unconscious. "Unfortunately, it wasn't as challenging as I thought it was going to be, but we got the job done."

"Perfect. Mai, Ty Lee, take the Avatar and his friends to the prison cells," Azula said, as she tossing Aang's limp body at their feet. "Looks like all we have left is my brother and uncle."

Ty Lee quickly took hold of Aang before turning to face Azula. "But how will we find them?"

Azula merely smirked as she brushed past her comrades and stopped at the front of the door. "With the Avatar in my clutches, there's no doubt that Zuzu will come running. It'll only be a matter of time." She entered the tank without another word, while Mai and Ty Lee exchanged glances.

...

Aang awoke to the sound of something heavy grating. moving over the ground and It felt like he was moving with it. Reaching a hand in front of him, his skin touched cold metal. Wait, metal?

Aang's eyes quickly shot open as he sat up and examined his surroundings. There was nothing but bare, metal walls, and the only available light came from a small barred window at the top of the door. He was in a cell.

"Oh, no," Aang gasped.

He heard noises beside him and saw Katara and Sokka laying on the cell floor. They were still unconscious and badly bruised up from their fight with Mai and Ty Lee.

Aang crawled over to his friends and shook them. "Katara, Sokka, wake up."

"Five more minutes, Mommy, I'm too tired," Sokka drawled, with slimy drool sliding down his chin.

Aang rolled his eyes, placed his hands on Sokka's shoulders, and shook him hard. "Come on, wake up! We're in trouble!"

Finally Sokka woke up, and looked up to see Aang, with a concerned expression showing on his features. "Wha...ow my head!"

"Huh…what's going on?" Katara said, the sudden noise waking her.

Aang sighed, looking serious face. "We've been captured."

"Captured?" Sokka yelped, while looking around the room to see that Aang was right. He smacked his forehead in frustration as he remembered what happened. "That's right, those two girls…."

Aang stood up and surveyed the room. Something was wrong. "Cheng Xin's missing."

"What are you talking about?" Katara said.

"When…Azula, came after me, she had Cheng Xin with her. We fought, and I lost. I don't know what happened after that."

"Maybe he's in another cell," Sokka said.

"I suppose _she_ is…."

Sokka raised an eyebrow. "Um, _she_? Aang, Cheng's a _guy_."

Confusion crossed Aang's features as he remembered the puzzling situation earlier. "That's not what Azula said." He frowned, resting his head on his knees.

"It's true," Katara said. She smiled grimly after seeing the questioning expressions on the boys' faces. "Cheng Xin is a girl."

"What?" Sokka quickly jumped to his feet, while waving his hands franticly in the air. "You mean this whole time, the _whole_ _time_…?" His sudden rush of adrenaline gone, Sokka slumped to the floor.

Aang, on the other hand, remained silent as he processed the information. Then a thought occurred to him. "Hang on, how do you know, Katara?"

Sighing, Katara rested her back against the wall. "I found out after we were at the Northern Air Temple, but Cheng didn't want me to say anything."

"But still, why would she want to lie? Why would she pretend to be a boy in the first place?"

"Yeah, just what is he?…she…whatever. Cheng's hiding something," Sokka said, as well.

Katara wondered what she should do, and replied, "It's not my place to say."

Deciding to change the subject, Aang returned his attention to the cell door. "Right now, we have to find a way out of here."

"How? We don't have our weapons, and I can't bend," Katara said.

"Let's face it, we're doomed. There's no way to get out of here, and the chance of us getting rescued is slim to none," Sokka groaned. Aang and Katara said nothing, but they couldn't help but think how much his conclusion rang true.


	8. The Blind Earthbender

Chapter Ba- The Blind Earthbender

Smoke, ash, sparks, flames, and intense skin-searing heat. Through it all, the faint cries of Cheng Xin could be heard if anyone was around to hear them. She continued to choke on the fumes and her eyes burned from the hazy atmosphere. Her face was drenched with sweat, as she grew weaker and weaker from lack of oxygen. The fire had spread down to the walls around her, and it would only be a matter of time before she was burned alive.

Cheng Xin's voice began to crack from her constant shouting, but she still managed to whisper, "Please, someone help me. Please."

Desperately wanting a chance to escape, she reached a hand out towards the entrance of the building. Unfortunately as she did so, a small board from the decaying roof fell onto her wrist. Cheng Xin shouted in agony as the flames caressed and devoured her skin.

"Hello, is someone there?" spoke an unknown voice from outside.

_Who is that? Maybe I'm saved_, Cheng Xin thought."Help! I'm in here!"

At the entrance of the building, a figure appeared. However, Cheng Xin's vision was so blurred and fuzzy that she couldn't tell who they were. Suddenly, she felt the ground underneath her shift as if some invisible force were pulling her forward. It was at the same time that the rest of the ceiling decided to cave in. Cheng Xin tightly shut her eyes thinking this was her last moment of life. But she was pulled to safety just as the burning building collapsed.

"It's alright, you're safe," the voice from before said.

Now able to hear the person clearer, Cheng Xin thought they sounded younger, almost her age. Cheng Xin opened her eyes to see that she was indeed outside. Too weak to stand up, she merely shifted around to face a young girl.

The girl had pale skin, and black hair that was tied up with a green and yellow headband. She was dressed in a yellow and green tunic with a belt around her waist, and green bands around her wrists and ankles. Long bangs covered her face, but one could still see her glossy, hazed over eyes underneath the black.

Cheng Xin couldn't help but stare at those eyes. Something about them just seemed odd and unfocused as if the girl was..."Who are you?"

The girl faced Cheng Xin without directly looking at her. "The name's Toph. You?"

"Cheng Xin," she replied.

"Hey, wait, Cheng Xin?" Toph said. "You're the one twinkle-toes and the others were talking about."

Cheng Xin raised an eyebrow. "Twinkle-toes?"

Toph shrugged, smiling smugly. "Ya know, Aang."

"Aang?" Cheng Xin said eyes widening. "You know Aang?"

"Yeah, but before I say anymore, we should get you some help. You seem pretty banged up," Toph replied.

Cheng Xin noticed that Toph hadn't even seen any of her injuries. "How can you tell if you're...?"

Toph folded her arms. "Blind?"

Cheng Xin nodded. "But if that's the case, how can you still…?" Her words were cut short when she saw Toph shift her hands, causing the ground to push Cheng Xin onto her feet.

Putting her hands on her hips, Toph smirked. "I can see with earthbending."

Cheng Xin felt her knees buckle forward and fell on Toph who helped her back up. "Whoa, are you okay?"

She placed her good hand on Toph's shoulder to stable herself. "Not really. I don't think I can walk on my own."

"Here, let me," Toph said as she brought Cheng Xin's arm around her shoulder and let her use her body as a crutch. "Hmm, that's funny."

Cheng Xin glanced at her, confused. "What's funny?"

Toph laughed. "Aang, Katara, and Sokka always said you were a guy, but you seem nothing more than a frilly, delicate princess to me."

Frowning, Cheng Xin let Toph lead as they started walking to a safer location. "That's because they just think I'm a guy." She remembered what happened with Azula. _Or they used to anyway_, she thought. "We should hurry and find someplace to rest. It's going to get dark soon."

Toph nodded. "Good idea. I definitely could use some sleep."

It was a few hours later and Cheng Xin and Toph found a spot in the forest to camp out. Toph made them an earth tent while Cheng Xin sat on the ground with her back resting against a rock. She looked at her wrist to see the true damage. Her skin was red and puffy around the edges while the center had nearly blackened and was slightly bleeding. And as she tried to flex it her nerves screamed bloody murder. "Toph, can you bring me over to that river?"

"Sure," Toph said, as she helped Cheng Xin up.

Once they reached the river, Cheng Xin knelt and placed her wrist in the water so she could clean the wound. "What I wouldn't give for Katara's healing abilities right now." Feeling her stomach complain for the thousandth time since Azula captured her, and turned toward Toph. "Please tell me you have some food."

Toph smiled. "Some; not a lot, though. Come on."

She helped Cheng Xin back to the campsite. Toph reached into her bag, while Cheng Xin ripped a piece of her clothing and wrapped it tightly around her wrist.

"Here," Toph said, handing her a piece of bread.

Cheng Xin took the food and ate ravenously. "So how do you know Aang and the others again?"

Toph sat beside her, nibbling some bread as well. "I'm Aang's new earthbending teacher, or at least I was until we got separated."

Cheng Xin looked at her surprised. "Earthbending teacher? But you're blind; how can you be a master?"

Sighing, Toph reclined on her back with her hands behind her head. "Like I said before, I can see with earthbending. It's kind of like seeing with my feet. I can feel the vibrations in the earth and it helps me locate things like you, the river, even that spider crawling up your arm."

Cheng Xin squealed, swiping at her arm. "Where? Where is it? Get it off, I hate spiders!" She continued to whine when she heard Toph chuckle.

"Calm down, I was only kidding," Toph said.

Glaring slightly, Cheng Xin folded her arms, huffing, "Yeah, you're a real riot."

Toph laughed a little more before returning to her story. "Anyway, Aang, Katara, Sokka, and I were being tracked by these three Fire Nation ladies."

Cheng Xin grimaced. "Right…them." She stared at her wrapped wrist with resentment. "The perky one is Ty Lee, the gloomy one is Mai, and their leader is Princess Azula. They're the ones who captured me back in Omashu."

"You managed to escape?" Toph said.

"Not exactly," Cheng Xin replied**. **"Azula dragged me with her when she was chasing after you guys. I don't know what happened to Sokka and Katara, but she fought Aang and managed to capture him. Then she left me in that burning building."

Toph groaned. "But how are we even going to find them? They could be anywhere right now."

Cheng Xin lay on the ground and stared up at the sky. "I'm sure we'll figure out something tomorrow. For now, let's just get some rest."

...

Night passed by fast, and morning came as the bright sun peaked over the eastern horizon. Cheng Xin opened her eyes to the new day, remembering the important agenda. She turned toward Toph who was still fast asleep.

Cheng Xin nudged her. "Toph, get up, it's morning."

Toph mumbled under her breath before opening her eyes. "Huh, what?"

Cheng Xin shook her head. "I said it's morning."

"Oh," Toph said, while wiping the drool from the side of her face. "So what's the plan?"

After finally getting some food and decent rest, Cheng Xin had regained some of her strength and stood up on her own. "I'm not sure. I'm not really a _plan_ kind of person."

Toph groaned. "In that case, I'm going back to sleep." However, the minute she lay back down, Toph sat up with her hand pressed firmly on the ground.

Cheng Xin saw her alert stance and asked, "What is it?"

"Quiet, there's someone nearby," Toph said as she stood up.

Toph began to walk away, and Cheng Xin followed closely behind. They came across young man standing next to an ostrich-horse. He was dressed in typical peasant clothes with a farmer's hat over his head.

Toph knelt behind a tree. "Can you tell who it is?"

Cheng Xin examined the guy and her eyes widened. "Zuko."

"Zuko? I think the others mentioned him once before," Toph whispered.

"This is it; this is how we'll find Aang, Katara, and Sokka." Cheng Xin smiled. "Zuko is Prince of the Fire Nation, which means he's connected to Azula. Plus he's determined on trying to capture Aang. If we follow him, we'll find everyone else."

Suddenly a blast of fire whizzed past them and ignited a nearby bush.

Zuko had heard whispering and stood defensively, fists outstretched. "Who's there?"

Cheng Xin and Toph remained silent in hopes that he would just think it was his imagination, which he did. Zuko mounted the ostrich horse and left in another direction.

"Now's our chance; let's go," Cheng Xin said as she took Toph by the hand and they followed behind the Prince.

Many hours passed by, and Cheng Xin and Toph managed to carry out their mission unseen. They traveled deeper into the forest, until Zuko stopped and dismounted his ostrich horse.

"What's going on? Why did he stop?" Toph whispered.

Cheng Xin peered up ahead and smiled. "Can you feel it? The tank Azula was traveling in is just a few yards away. We're here."

"Enough!" they heard Zuko say as he shot at the tree they were hiding behind. "Come out now, I know you're there!"

Cheng Xin jumped back, but Toph merely smirked and cracked her knuckles. "Sit tight, Princess, I'll handle this one."

Toph brought her hands out and waited for Zuko to make the first move. With a jolt of her right hand, she erected a mound of earth that knocked Zuko down. He rolled across the grass, and scowled at Toph who had walked out into the open. He sent another wave of fire at her, but Toph quickly brought up a wall, shielding herself. The flames dispersed, allowing Toph to push the rock shield forward, hitting Zuko dead-on. He fell to the ground unconscious.

"Wow, that was amazing!" Cheng Xin said as she ran up to Toph.

Toph turned towards her and smiled. "No problem. But what are we going to do about the tank? It's completely made of metal, so I can't bend in there."

Cheng Xin thought for a moment. "Well, maybe if we caused a distraction. You could stay out here, and draw everyone outside while I sneak in and try to find Aang."

Toph nodded. "But aren't you still injured?"

Cheng Xin sighed. "Yeah, but I'll be alright. Hey, wait, do you still have that water canteen?"

Toph reached into her bag and handed it to her. "Yeah, why?"

Cheng Xin glanced back at the tank. "I've got an idea."

...

Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee were stationed at the head of the train as the crew worked out some plans and coordinates.

"So after we find your brother and uncle, are we heading back home?" Ty Lee said.

Azula closed her eyes, her face expressionless. "Not exactly. Since I've had to travel many miles to Earth Kingdom, I feel I should make use of my journey while I'm still here. After all, despite the many overthrown cities and villages, one remains untouched. The last Earth Kingdom city that has failed to be conquered…Ba Sing Se."

A sudden rumble in the ground followed by something large crashing into the side of the tank startled everyone inside. Azula stood up with narrowed eyes. "What was that?"

One of the commissioners turned around. "It looks like someone's trying to break in."

Azula kept a calm composure and sat back down. "Mai, Ty Lee, take care of it."

"This should be interesting," Mai drawled as she stood up and followed Ty Lee out of the room.

...

Cheng Xin was hiding underneath the tank while Toph stood boldly in front of the door, waiting to be confronted. In a matter of seconds the main door swung open and Mai and Ty Lee jumped out.

Mai folded her arms, sighing. "Just one little girl; how boring."

"Trust me, I'm anything but boring," Toph said, sending a barrage of boulders their way.

Mai slid out of the way and threw a pair of daggers at Toph. Cheng Xin watched the fight when she noticed that the door had been left open. "Now's my chance."

She quickly ran from underneath the tank and headed inside. However, Ty Lee had spotted her. "There's another one!" Ty Lee flipped over and chased Cheng Xin into the tank.

Cheng Xin tried her best to outrun Ty Lee, who was literally bouncing off the walls in attempts to catch her.

"Not so fast," Ty Lee said as she jumped in front of Cheng Xin's path.

Ty Lee immediately jabbed her fingers forward, aiming for Cheng Xin's sides. Remembering what happened the last time they fought, Cheng Xin jumped out of the way. _I can't fight with my wrist injured like this_, she thought, as she got hit in the arm.

She felt it turn numb, and realized she had to think of something fast, otherwise she would lose. With her good arm, Cheng Xin tried to create an air whip but Ty Lee struck her directly in her palm. Cheng Xin stepped back weakly as Ty Lee jumped at her again. Grinning, she took a deep breath and exhaled a large gust of wind that blew Ty Lee all the way into the metal wall behind her. She hit the wall with a loud smack, and slumped to the floor.

Cheng Xin ran past Ty Lee and in the direction of the prison cells. "Well, she didn't hit my face."

...

Aang, Katara, and Sokka were sitting in their cell awake from the commotion that was going outside.

Katara looked at Aang. "What do you think is going on?"

Aang glanced at the cell door with anticipation. "I don't know."

"Aang, Aang are you here?" a voice cried.

Aang perked up and scrambled to his feet. "Cheng?"

"Where are you?" Cheng Xin said, darting through the dark hallway.

Aang rushed to the door and pulled himself up to the window, jutting a hand through the bars. "Over here!"

Cheng Xin spotted his hand and ran to the cell door. "Aang, are you okay?"

"Yeah, we're fine," Katara said.

Cheng Xin raised an eyebrow, confused. "Katara?"

"Katara, Sokka, and I are trapped in here! Do you have the keys?" Aang said.

Cheng Xin took out the canteen she borrowed from Toph and dropped it through the bars. "There's water in there; you can use it to break the lock."

"Here, Aang, let me do it," Katara said, stepping forward.

Cheng Xin was waiting when she heard footsteps nearby. "Hurry, I think someone's coming."

A thick layer of ice sprouted through the door frame, breaking the hinges. The door fell with a loud clank, and Aang, Katara, and Sokka walked out.

"Come on, Toph's waiting outside," Cheng Xin said, gesturing in the direction of the exit.

Katara's eyes widened. "You know Toph?"

"Yeah, she saved me," Cheng Xin said.

Aang shook his head. "Hold on, I need to get my staff."

"And my boomerang." Sokka jumped up.

Out of nowhere, a blast of blue fire shot in their direction. Seeing it in time, Aang spun a vortex of air that fanned the flames away. The group looked ahead to see Azula standing in their path. "Well, well, what do we have here?" She noticed Cheng Xin and frowned. "You! How did you escape?"

Cheng Xin smirked. "I had a little help."

Azula scowled and prepared to strike at the group with lightning.

"Look out!" Katara ran forward and bended the ice around the door at Azula, who stopped and jumped out of the way.

Katara continued attacking while the others scurried past them and down another hallway.

"Cheng, do you know where our weapons are?" Aang said.

Cheng Xin shook her head. "Not really."

"Looking for these?" a voice spoke.

Aang, Cheng Xin, and Sokka turned to see Ty Lee dangling Aang's staff and Sokka's boomerang, taunting them. Meanwhile, Katara was backed into a corner by Azula. "It's over, you're trapped and have no place to go."

Suddenly, the entire tank rocked from side to side, throwing everyone off balance, before completely falling over. Azula slid back into one of the open cells. Ty Lee slammed into a nearby wall, dropping their weapons in the process. Aang ran for his staff while the others slid down another hallway.

"Boomerang!" Sokka squealed affectionately, snatching it from the floor.

Aang reached into his pocket and pulled out a bison-shaped whistle. He quickly blew it, and even though it made no noise, he knew it would give them the help they needed. The tank finally settled, allowing everyone to move around freely.

Cheng Xin stood up and pointed toward one of the doors. "Come on, this is the way out!"

Aang, Katara, and Sokka nodded and followed just as Ty Lee and Azula recovered and started chasing after them again. They made it outside to find Mai trapped in a mound of earth while another part of the ground had been raised to knock over the tank.

"It's about time," Toph said.

Cheng Xin looked back at the tank. "We ran into some trouble."

Aang used his staff to slam the door shut, but Azula blasted it back open with a bolt lightning. She jumped down with Ty Lee and faced off with the gang. "Give it up Avatar, you can't win."

Out of nowhere, Appa flew in and landed in front of Azula and Ty Lee. He flung his large tail as he landed, blowing away the two Fire Nation girls with the force.**  
**

"Thanks, Appa!" Aang said as he jumped on top of the bison and took hold of the reins.

Sokka jumped on and helped the others up. "Hurry, let's get out of here!"

Aang snapped the reins. "Appa, yip yip!"

Appa flew into the air, barely missing the stream of lightning Azula shot at them.

"Are they following us?" Toph said.

Sokka looked back. "No, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't get as far away from them as possible."

Aang nodded. "Good idea."

He ordered Appa to fly faster, and soon they were safely out of sight and out of harm.


	9. She's The Man

Chapter Jiu- She's The Man

Later that night the gang found a medium sized canyon. It was a safe spot and the perfect area for earthbending. Katara gathered food, Sokka, Aang, and Toph set up the tents, and Cheng Xin collected firewood. But the task Cheng Xin had proved a bit more difficult since her wrist was broken.

She dropped the sticks on the ground and clutched her wrist. "Ow...!"

"Are you okay, Cheng?" she heard Katara say from behind her.

Cheng Xin turned toward her with a pained expression. "Not really."

"Here, let me see." Katara walked up to her and examined her wrist. "Your skin is burned almost all the way through. What happened?"

Cheng Xin sighed. "Azula happened. After she captured Aang, she left me in a burning building to die. And while I was in there some of the debris fell onto my wrist."

Katara frowned. "Well, I wish I could have gotten to this sooner. I can heal it, but it will still scar." She absorbed some water from her canteen onto her hand, and placed it over Cheng Xin's wrist.

"Thank you, Katara," Cheng Xin said.

Katara smiled. "Actually, it's me who should be thanking you. You're the one who rescued us."

Cheng Xin laughed. "I think the credit really goes to Toph. She found me in the burning building and saved me." She stopped laughing when a thought occurred to her. "Oh yeah, that reminds me. How did you and Sokka get captured in the first place?"

"Well, we were being chased down by those girls all night long, and we hadn't gotten any sleep including Appa. By morning he was too exhausted to fly and we had nowhere to run. We split up to try and trick them, but we were followed anyway. Sokka and I fought Mai and Ty Lee, and the next thing we knew we were waking up in a cell with Aang," Katara said as she finished healing Cheng Xin's wrist. "There, I think that should do it."

Cheng Xin flexed her wrist no longer feeling that stinging sensation it once had. "Ah, that feels much better." However, as Katara had said, there was a deep red mark that wrapped around her wrist like an armband.

Katara picked up the sack of food she had set down. "Come on, let's head back." Cheng Xin nodded and gathered her sticks. Katara turned around and looked at her concerned. "By the way, there's one more thing you should know about."

"What?" Cheng Xin said.

Katara continued walking. "The others, Sokka and Aang...they know you're a girl."

"I figured so." Sighing, Cheng Xin looked at the path ahead of them. _After Azula pretty much blabbed my secret._

The two remained silent as they walked back to the campsite. Soon everything was set up and the gang was sitting around a warm campfire. Everyone felt a small sense of tension amongst the them. Cheng Xin eyed Aang and Sokka, wondering which one would bring up the subject first.

The luck of the draw ended up being Aang. "Um, Cheng…now that we have the time…there's something I think we should talk about."

Cheng Xin frowned slightly, wanting to stay away from the topic as much as possible. "And that would be?"

"Why did you lie to us?" Sokka said.

Cheng Xin shrugged, deciding to play innocent. "I'm not quite sure what you mean."

Sokka frowned. "Why were you pretending to be a boy all this time?"

"I don't think that's any of your business." She folded her arms and shifted her gaze to the ground. "Besides it's not my fault you couldn't figure it out on your own."

Toph snorted as she reclined against a rock. "Yeah, even I could see that." She started laughing and paused when she felt everyone staring at her. "You've got to be kidding me. It's so obvious Cheng Xin's a girl."

Sokka returned his attention to Cheng Xin. "Either way, we still deserve an answer about why you lied to us."

Cheng Xin waved him off. "I don't see why it matters."

Aang knelt in front of her. "Come on, Cheng, we're your friends. You can tell us."

Cheng Xin looked at Aang blankly. In spite of her frustration, she mentally laughed at his sincerity. She glanced at Katara who nodded, trying to encourage her. However, there was no way she could share the truth. It was already enough that they had found out this much. Cheng Xin faced Aang and gave him a half-hearted smile. "Sorry, but like I said before, it's none of your business."

Katara frowned and put her hands on her hips. "Cheng, why are you being so difficult?"

"Yeah, if you can't tell us the truth then how can we trust. How do we know that you're a spy or something," Sokka said.

Cheng Xin closed her eyes and sighed. "You don't. I guess there's only one thing left to do." She stood up and began to walk away.

Sokka pointed his boomerang at her. "Where are you going?"

Cheng Xin stopped walking. "If you don't trust me then there's no reason for me to be here."

Aang stood up. "Wait, Cheng, Sokka didn't mean that. We're just trying to understand what's going on."

Cheng Xin turned around and slightly bowed. "Goodbye, Master Aang." She gave him one last glance before disappearing into the shadows of the canyon.

Aang groaned as he sat back down. "Ah, not again!" Frustrated, he placed his hands on his head.

Katara placed a hand on his shoulder. "It's okay, Aang."

He shook his head. "No, it isn't. We just got Cheng back, and we chased her off."

"Well, I told you we shouldn't have asked her yet," Sokka said.

Katara glared at her brother. "Hey, you're the one who started accusing her of being a spy."

"Sorry to intervene again, but what the heck are you guys talking about?" Toph said.

Sokka folded his arms. "When Cheng Xin joined us, she disguised herself as a boy. She was also alone, and said that her village had been attacked by Fire Nation soldiers."

"No offense, but did it ever occur to you dum-dums that maybe Cheng Xin was disguising herself because she ran away from home?"

Aang raised an eyebrow. "How could she have run away from home if her village was attacked?"

Toph smirked. "Maybe it wasn't attacked. Maybe that was a part of her disguise."

Sokka huffed. "See, this is what I'm talking about. She's been lying to us from the beginning!"

"She had a reason," Katara said.

Sokka looked at his sister disbelievingly. "Oh really? And what would that be?"

Katara sighed. "The truth is, her village wasn't attacked. She lived with her grandparents. They told her that she was an airbender, and that she needed to find Aang and help him fight the war."

"Wait a second...you knew about this?" Aang said.

Katara nodded. "For a while, yes."

Sokka raised an eyebrow. "But why would she tell you and not us?"

"It probably wasn't her intent." Katara looked at the fire. "I found out by accident."

Aang sat down next to Katara. "By why were you helping her lie? There has to be another reason for her disguise."

Katara shrugged. "I don't know; that was all she told me."

Aang lay on his back. "Suddenly it's all starting to make so much sense."

Sokka groaned. "Yeah, but I feel so violated." He knelt on his sleeping bag with his hands on his head. "I mean this whole time, I've been confiding in a _girl_! I even told her about my crush on Suki!"

"Jeez, I don't get what the big deal is. Cheng Xin decided to disguise herself; so what? She's still our friend, and from what I've heard, she hasn't done anything to harm Aang or anybody else," Toph said.

Aang nodded. "You're right. Should we go apologize to her?"

Toph shook her head. "Nah, she'll be back."

Everyone retired for the night, and soon morning came once again. Cheng Xin traveled a good distance away from the group, and started the new day annoyed and guilty. The one who knew the real reason she had joined Aang was Katara, and that was already one person too many. However, on the same note, she didn't want to abandon her new friends. They had already been through a lot, and she had grown quite close to them.

Cheng Xin glanced at the sunrise as she leaned against a large rock. "Maybe I should head back."

It was then she heard footsteps coming from above. The sound grew louder and she saw a shadow cast against the side of the ledge. Cheng Xin hid and looked up to see whom the shadow belonged to.

_Zuko_

He seemed to be alone and made his way down the path. Cheng Xin tried to remain silent as she moved around the ledge to keep out of Zuko's view. Unfortunately she tripped over another rock and landed on the ground with a loud thud.

"Who's there?" Zuko said as he shot a ball of fire in her direction. Cheng Xin jumped out of the way, and ended up standing in front of him. Zuko glared at her with his fists still outstretched. "You…you're that other airbender."

Cheng Xin grinned. "Good job, now can you guess what color I'm thinking of?"

Short-tempered, Zuko replied with another ball of fire. Cheng Xin quickly dodged it and ran up the pathway he had come down. Zuko chased after her, thinking she could lead him to Aang. "Get back here!"

Cheng Xin glanced back. "Not a chance!"

Not paying attention to where she was running, Cheng Xin bumped into something and fell to the ground. She looked up to see that it was not some_thing_ but some_one_. It was a husky old man dressed in peasant clothes. He seemed strangely familiar, but Cheng Xin couldn't place how.

The old man held out a hand, and gave her a gentle smile. "Are you alright?"

Cheng Xin's eyes widened as she realized who he was. "Iroh." Her words were almost inaudible, and the man glanced at her curiously.

"What did you say?"

She backed away, out of his reach. "You were at the North Pole. You're Fire Nation, too."

"There you are!" Zuko said as he caught up with her.

Iroh frowned at his nephew. "Zuko, what are you doing?"

Zuko shifted his gaze between Iroh and Cheng Xin. "This little brat is with the Avatar."

"So what if I am?" Cheng Xin raised hers hands defensively. "You and your evil sister should just give up; there's no way you're getting your grubby hands on Aang!"

Zuko charged at her, but Iroh stepped in front of him. "No, Zuko."

Cheng Xin took this as her chance to escape, and ran off without another word.

Zuko broke free and ran to the cliff's edge in a frenzy. "Why did you let him go, Uncle?"

Iroh sighed. "I've told you before, Zuko. Trying to capture the Avatar now isn't going to do you any good."

Zuko turned away stubbornly. "You don't know that." He looked back at his uncle. "Besides, that wasn't just any follower of the Avatar. That was the _second airbender_. It just doesn't make any sense. The Avatar is supposed to be the last; how could that other one possibly exist?"

Shaking his head, Iroh walked up to Zuko and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I don't know how, but what I do know is that you need some rest. Your wound hasn't completely healed yet." He gestured toward the bandages around Zuko's abdomen.

Groaning, Zuko looked down at his feet. "Yeah."

...

Cheng Xin continued to run through the canyon terrain. After she felt she put enough distance between her and Zuko, she stopped to rest.

Out of breath, she slumped onto the ground. "Man that was close." Cheng Xin observed the area around her only to realize that she had gotten herself lost. "Great, now what am I going to do?"

Deciding to try and find her way to the others, Cheng Xin brought herself to her feet and continued walking. Hours passed and she had no such luck, and it felt like she was going in circles.

...

Katara was exploring the cavern not too far away. After almost a day had past they decided to search for Cheng Xin. And to add more icing to the cake, Sokka had gone missing as well. Every so often Katara called out their names and received no replies.

Katara took a few more steps before stopping. "Cheng Xin! Sokka!"

"Katara!" she heard Cheng Xin shout.

Scanning the area, Katara saw no sign of Cheng Xin and called out, "Cheng, where are you?"

"Over here!" Cheng Xin said as she ran around the corner.

Katara walked over to her. "Cheng, there you are. We were worried you wouldn't come back."

Cheng Xin folded her arms. "I thought you guys didn't _trust_ me. I could be a _spy,_ remember?"

"Look, that was just Sokka being well…Sokka. The point is we don't care if you were disguising yourself. We just want you back," Katara said.

Cheng Xin kept a blank expression before smiling. "Don't worry, I was planning on returning. I just got a little lost."

Katara smiled back. "Good. And speaking of Sokka, you haven't seen him, have you?"

Cheng Xin shook her head. "No, why?"

Katara glanced around the area worriedly. "Sokka left early this morning and he hasn't come back yet. We went out to search for him."

Suddenly they heard a loud roar nearby and the sound of something crashing.

Cheng Xin looked in the direction of the noise. "You think that could be Sokka?"

"Possibly. Let's go," Katara said.

They ran off through the many twists and turns of the cavern and ended up finding Toph and Aang who in the middle of a conversation. Katara scanned the area and saw Sokka nearby who was dusting himself off, for he was covered from head to toe with dirt.

Katara rushed over to her brother and hugged him. "There you are. I was so worried."

"Hey you came back, Princess," Toph said smacking Cheng Xin hard on the shoulder.

Cheng Xin smiled while rubbing her sore shoulder. "Yeah…ow."

"Hey, guys, check this out!" Aang said, catching everyone's attention. Crouched down, he spread his legs apart and thrust his right fist forward, causing one of the boulders in front of him to shoot forward. "I can earthbend!"

Katara applauded him. "That's great."

Aang then noticed Cheng Xin and ran up to her. "Um, Cheng…."

Cheng Xin smiled. "It's okay, Aang, don't worry about it. Katara explained everything."

"Hold on, just one more thing," Sokka said, stepping in front of her.

Cheng Xin rolled her eyes. "Yes, Sokka?"

Sokka held out a firm hand. "Now that you're a girl, do you promise not to reveal any precious information that I may have told you during our time together?"

Giggling, Cheng Xin shook his hand. "Since I usually ignore you when you have those talks with me, sure, I can promise that."

Sokka grimaced while the others laughed. Night fell, and the gang headed back to the campsite for some hard-earned rest.


	10. Bonding

Chapter Shi- Bonding

The next day the gang spent more of their time relaxing and training. That night they decided to head out to a new location. Aang was steering Appa while the others rested.

Tossing and turning, Cheng couldn't quite get to sleep. She opened one eye and looked at Aang who was staring at the starlit sky. "Are you quite to be awake all night?"

Startled, Aang jumped before turning to face her. "It won't be all night. The place we're heading to isn't that far away.

Cheng nodded. She crawled from her spot and sat next to Aang. She pulled out her amulet from underneath her clothesand examined it. "Aang, what was it like?"

Aang raised an eyebrow. "What was what like?"

"A hundred years ago. Before this, when the other Air Nomads were still around?"

He smiled, feeling a sense of nostalgia come over him. "It was…peaceful. All the nations including the Fire Nation lived in harmony. It's also why everything feels so strange now. I use to be friends with people all over the world; I even had a friend in the Fire Nation named Kuzon."

"And what about the Nomads? I heard that their way of life was very different," Cheng Xin said.

"Yes. We were taught to detach ourselves from the world and find inner peace."

Cheng Xin frowned at the ground below them. "In the Earth Kingdom everything is so controlled. All my life I've been taught that my destiny is to find some man to settle down with when I become of age…but it's not what _I_ want. I love adventure and bending."

Aang looked at the sky. "That's because you're an Air Nomad. We train, and explore the world around us."

She directed her gaze back at Aang. "What about your parents?"

Aang shook his head. "My memory of them is very vague. At the air temples we were raised as a whole by the monks and priestesses. Aang looked down at his hands. "However I did have a mentor whom I was really close to, Monk Gyatso."**  
**

Cheng Xin noticed Aang's eyes watering and placed a hand on his shoulder. "You miss him?"

"Yeah," Aang said as he stared off into space.

Cheng Xin dropped her hand. "And Appa? Were there other flying bison too?"

His smiled returned. "We befriended the bisons. I still remember when Appa and I first met. I knew we were going to be friends forever, right,boy?"

Appa growled affectionately.

"Appa means a lot to you," Cheng Xin said.

"Uh-huh, we've been through everything together. I don't know what I would do without him." Aang looked at Cheng Xin with an unreadable expression.

Cheng Xin raised an eyebrow. "What?"

Aang blinked, looking away. "It's just, it's kind of strange seeing you as a girl now."

Giggling, Cheng Xin patted his shoulder. "At least now you know why Katara and I got along so well." She yawned and stretched her arms. "Well I'm going back to bed. Oh and don't worry…."

Aang turned around as she crawled back to her spot. "About what?"

"About your little secret. Boy or girl, my lips are still sealed." Cheng Xin gave him a playful wink as she pointed to Katara, causing him to blush and turn away again.

...

Morning came and the gang was already settled at a new location. They had left the canyon and entered the edge of the vast Si Wong desert.

Aang was leading the group to a barren prairie. "Come on you guys it's this way!"

"Aang, what is it that you're so excited about?" Katara said.

He sat down and pulled out a flute. "Don't talk, just watch." Aang played a few notes; once he was finished, a group of prairie dogs rose out of the ground and sang each note.

"Wow, cool," Cheng Xin said.

Aang continued to play until Sokka interrupted him. "Okay, that's nice and all, but we shouldn't be wasting time like this."

Toph shook her head. "But we're not wasting time, we're all taking mini vacations."

Cheng Xin nodded. "Yeah, we deserve a rest."

"Oh, really, and what do you propose we do when it's time to confront the Fire Nation? Are we just going to head west until we reach the Fire Lord's house? If we're going to win this war we'll need some intelligence."

"Lighten up Sokka, there's still plenty of time for that later." Cheng Xin picked up their map. "Katara, it's your turn to choose a spot."

Katara examined the map before pointing to a specific area. "How about here? The Misty Palm Oasis?"

"Oh, I've been there. It's a natural ice spring," Aang said.

Cheng Xin looked amazed. "An _ice_ spring? How could a spring be that cold in this heat?"

Aang shrugged. "Not sure, but it's a lot of fun."

Katara smiled and put her hands on her hips. "Alright, we'll finish our vacations, and then we'll look for Sokka's intelligence."

The others laughed while Sokka frowned. "Just laugh it up, you guys."

...

A few hours later the gang made their way to the oasis, and it turned out to be less than glamorous. The whole area looked like a run down ghost town, and what was left of the oasis was a large ice cube sitting in the middle of everything.

Aang laughed sheepishly. "Must have changed ownership, since I was last here."

They proceeded into the town and entered a small tavern. As they did, a man bumped into Aang, spilling his drink on him in the process.

"Oh my, I'm so sorry," the man said.

Aang smiled. "Don't worry, I clean up easy." He quickly blew a gust of air around himself to dry off.

The man looked at Aang with astonishment. "You're a living relic."

Aang raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

The man bowed. "I'm Professor Zei, head of anthropology at Ba Sing Se University. Tell me, which of the air temples do you hail from?"

Aang looked at the man nervously. "Uh, the Southern Temple…."

Sokka stepped forward. "A Professor huh? Do you have a more current map? Ours seems to be a little dated."

"Certainly." Professor Zei reached into his bag, and handed a map to Sokka.

Sokka scanned it over, and groaned frustratedly. "What, no Fire Nation? Doesn't anybody have a good map of that place?"

"You've made a lot of trips into the desert," Katara said as she looked at the map over her brother's shoulder.

Professor Zei sighed. "All in vain, I'm afraid. I've found lost civilizations all over the Earth Kingdom, but I haven't managed to find the crown jewel…Wan Shi Tong's Library."

Toph folded her arms. "You spent years walking through the desert to find some guy's library?"

"This library is more valuable than gold. It was said to be built by the great knowledge spirit, Wan Shi Tong. He and his knowledge seekers collected books from all over the world, and put them on display for mankind to read, so that we might better ourselves," Professor Zei said.

Sokka looked at the map, very interested in this library. "So if it has books from all over the world, could it also have a map of the Fire Nation?"

Professor Zei shook his head. "I wouldn't know, but if such a thing exists, it's in Wan Shi Tong's library."

Cheng Xin looked towards the desert. _If that's the case,__ it might even have information about the Air Nomads._

"I do believe it's my turn, and I'd like to spend my vacation at the library!" Sokka said.

"Very well, but there's still the matter of finding it. I've made several trips into the desert and almost died each time," Professor Zei said.

Sokka grinned. "Well, Professor, we have the perfect solution."

The gang introduced Professor Zei to Appa, and they set off into the desert. Hours passed by and the only thing they managed to find was sand, sand, and…more sand. After feeling like they would never find anything, they spotted one of the knowledge seekers, which looked like a fox. The fox headed into a tall tower that was sticking out of the sand. They realized it was the library, but it was buried underground.

Everyone headed inside except for Toph and Appa, and they discovered that the inside of the library was perfectly intact. Once inside, they were confronted by the spirit Wan Shi Tong, who was in the shape of a giant owl. He informed them that humans were not permitted into the library, because they only bothered learning things for violence. Sokka and Aang were able to convince Wan Shi Tong to let them stay, but only if they could prove their love of knowledge. So the gang gave Wan Shi Tong a gift to add to the library. Professor Zei offered a book, Katara gave a waterbending scroll, Cheng Xin gave a map of the Northern region of the Earth Kingdom, Aang gave a wanted poster of himself, and Sokka gave…a butterfly knot. Afterwards, Wan Shi Tong left them alone to browse the library.

Searching through some of the rows, Cheng Xin came across one of the knowledge seekers. "Hey,little guy. Do you know where I can find any information about the Air Nomads?"

The fox ran off into another direction, and Cheng Xin followed closely behind. It stopped in front of a section that had a swirled symbol hanging overhead.

Cheng Xin looked at the fox. "Is this it?"

The fox nodded before leaving. Cheng Xin browsed through the various scrolls. "Hey, look, an airbending scroll. This place really does have everything," She pulled out her amulet remembering the note that was hidden inside. "I wonder…."

She grabbed an armful of scrolls and spread them out on the table next to her. "Ah, here it is. Animals of the Air. Air bisons, hermit crabs, lemurs…mothhoppers. Indigenous to the Eastern Air Temple." Cheng Xin smiled victoriously. "Looks like I found my vacation spot."

She placed the scrolls in her bag, and headed back to the center of the library. The others had wandered off to another section, and Cheng Xin decided to head back above ground. She climbed up the rope, and jumped down from the tower to where Toph and Appa were.

"What are you doing back here so soon?" Toph said.

Cheng Xin climbed onto Appa's saddle. "I finished early. The others are still looking around."

Toph shifted some of the sand in her hands. "Did they say how long they'd be?"

"No. In the meantime, I'm going to take a nap." Cheng Xin yawned and lay down.

Sometime later, Cheng Xin woke up to a rumbling noise, and Toph shouting. She sat up to see Toph holding the tower of the library. "Toph, what's going on?"

Toph tried to get a firmer grip against the tower. "The library's sinking, and the others are still inside!"

Cheng Xin's eyes widened. "What?"

Suddenly Appa started growling at something in the distance. Cheng Xin turned around to a gang of what appeared to be sandbenders approaching them on gliders.

"What's going on?" Toph said, while she focused on the tower.

Cheng Xin frowned. "I think we've got more trouble!"

They surrounded Appa, and started throwing ropes around him. Cheng Xin sliced some of the ropes with her airbending and grabbed hold of the reins.

"Appa, yip, yip!"

Appa rose into the air as Cheng Xin tried to lead him away from the sandbenders.

"They're getting away! Hurry and tie the bison down!" one of the sandbenders said.

Cheng Xin glanced behind her to see more ropes overlapping on top of the saddle. She quickly let go of the reins and sliced the ropes before they could pull Appa down. However the sandbenders were not giving up and they boarded their gliders and chased after them.

Cheng Xin looked back at Toph who was still trying to hold up the tower. "Toph, you take care of the library! I have to get Appa away from these guys!"

"Okay! Don't let me down, Princess!"

Taking hold of the reins, Cheng Xin guided Appa further into the desert. The sandbenders were hot on their tail, but she figured she and Appa would be fine as long as they stayed airborne. She couldn't have been more wrong.

Cheng Xin looked behind them to see that the sandbenders were gone. _They must have given up._ She sighed with relief and petted Appa on the head. "Come on, boy, let's head back to the others."

Out of nowhere, Cheng Xin felt the wind pick up around them. Glancing further ahead she saw the problem. It was a sand storm headed straight for them. The sand itself whirled around into a tornado, engulfing Appa and Cheng Xin. She lost grip of the reins, and fell victim to the swirling sand around her.

Suspiciously the sand storm ended as quickly as it came, and Cheng Xin and Appa were left lying unconscious in a sand dune. Surrounding them stood the sandbenders who were holding ropes in their hands.

The leader stepped forth, smirking greedily. "Gotcha."


	11. Mission Possible

Chapter Shi Yi - Mission Possible

Groggy, gray eyes opened up to a clear blue desert sky, the sun glaring an intense heat down toward Cheng Xin. Placing a hand to her forehead, she closed her eyes and groaned, bewildered. Cheng Xin felt like she had been hit by the tail of a rabbiroo.

"Ow, my head…. Wha-what happened?" Cheng Xin said as she tried to recollected her thoughts.

She sat up, feeling the sand shifting beneath her, and opened her eyes once more. She scanned her surroundings, seeing nothing but miles and miles of sand. It was Then she remembered. The underground library, the sandbenders, her escaping with Appa…a sandstorm. Looking around, Cheng Xin looked around again and realized Appa was missing.

Cheng Xin panicked. "Oh, no…the sandbenders. They got Appa!" She stood up. "I've got to help him!" She heard a squawking sound overhead and saw a circle of buzzard-wasps. "But then again, who's going to help me?"

..........

At the location of the library, Toph managed to save Aang, Katara, and Sokka just before the library sunk into the ground for good. It was an amazing accomplishment for the young girl, slowing down an enormous underground building is not an easy task. She sat on the floor panting, mainly from the hot temperature of the desert. But despite her exhaustion and the grainy sand obscuring her vision, Toph could still sense that there were still two important figures missing. And it turns out she wasn't the only one.

Though relieved about their escape, Aang bit his lip as he looked around the circumference. He turned towards Toph. "Where's Cheng Xin and Appa?"

"I don't know; a gang of sandbenders ambushed us and tried to take Appa. Cheng Xin was able to escape with him, to try and get rid of them. But…."

Aang looked at her anxiously. "But, what?"

Toph sighed. "It's been awhile now, and they haven't come back yet. I think they might have been captured."

Aang's eyes began to watered, as a sudden burst of anger overwhelming him. Appa was gone? "Well, why didn't you help her? She's not skilled enough to take on a gang of people by herself!"

"I couldn't, the library was sinking! You guys were still inside and..." Toph said.

Aang interrupted her. "But you could have come to get us! I could have helped Cheng and saved him!"

Toph folded her arms. "I can hardly feel any vibrations out here! The sandbenders snuck up on us while the library was sinking. I didn't have time to!"

Aang got in her face. "You just didn't care!"

Katara put a hand on his shoulder. "Aang, stop it. You know Toph did all she could. She saved our lives."

"Who's going to save our lives now? We'll never make it out of here," Sokka said.

Aang slammed his staff down furiously. "That's all any of you guys care about - yourselves! You don't care whether Appa and Cheng are okay or not! This is just like what happened at Omashu! You guys were so worried about your own well-being that you willingly left Cheng in the hands of the Fire Nation!"

"We're all concerned, but we can't afford to be fighting right now," Katara said.

Aang ignored her and opened up his glider. "I'm going to find them." He sailed off into the sky leaving the others to ponder their situation.

..........

Cheng Xin wandered hopelessly through the vast desert, She was unsure of which direction the library was, and was slowly counting away the minutes before she collapsed from the heat. As she ascended a hill, she looked down to see a small group of tents…and sandbenders too. And Appa too, tied down and trapped in a wooden cage. The sandbenders appeared to be selling him off to some merchants.

She quietly crept closer, and hid behind Appa's tail. Taking out a knife, Cheng Xin cut the ropes that held Appa down. Shaking the ropes off his fur, the bison and let out a grateful growl.

A merchant looked up. "Hey, what's going on?"

One of the sandbenders, he appeared to be the head of the lot, glanced at the merchant nervously. "He's really tame most of the time. Honest."

Appa moved to lift himself into the air, but the wooden cage surrounding him he was in restricted his movement. Noticing Appa's struggle, Cheng Xin stepped back and air sliced the bars with a gust of air. "Come on, Appa…you can do it!"

The head sandbender narrowed his eyes at her. "Hey, it's that airbending brat from before!" The merchant had dropped his chest of money. Without a moment's hesitation, the head sandbender took the chest and motioned for his friends to leave. "Well, a deal's a deal! He's your problem now."

Cheng Xin jumped onto Appa's saddle. "Appa, yip-yip!"

Appa rose into the air and The merchants scrambled to try and tie him back down. "We need the Xixu spit darts!" One grabbed a dart-shooter from under his robes and shot three darts into Appa's foot.

Cringing at Appa's painful roar, Cheng Xin tried to locate the direction of the library. "Come on, Appa; let's get back to the others." Before they could make a move, Cheng Xin felt her stomach drop. Were they falling? "No, Appa! Yip- yip!"

But Appa didn't respond. Crashing, he landed into the sand, sending Cheng Xin flew off the saddle. She stood up and ran up to Appa as he slipped into unconsciousness.

Cheng Xin looked worried. This was not good. "Come on, Appa…wake up!"

She then felt a stinging sensation as a dart contacted the side of her neck, and fell forward onto the ground. As everything faded into darkness, she faintly heard a voice faintly in the background. "The beast is too wild; we need to get rid of it. However, I'm sure the girl will fetch a good price."

Cheng Xin woke to find her hands tied behind her back. How much time had passed? Hours? Days? It was unclear. What _was_ clear was the time of day – mid-afternoon, and as she listened, she heard people bustling about. It was the middle of the afternoon, and she could hear people nearby. As she brought herself up on her knees, Cheng Xin realized she sat atop a giant beetle, recognizing the creature as the same kind the merchants rode.

_That's right__…__Appa!_ Cheng Xin whipped behind her at Appa's cage, only to find that he was missing. from his cage. "Oh no, where is he?"

Luckily Cheng Xin felt the knife in her pocket. Drawing the weapon, within seconds she managed to cut herself free and grab her bag. She jumped down and found her bag amongst the merchants' things. Suddenly she Hearing a pair voices, she ran behind some boxes.

"Are you sure it's an airbender? Is it the Avatar?" a male voice said.

Cheng Xin saw two men walk up - the head merchant and a Fire Nation soldier. The merchant shook his head. "No, not the Avatar. The other one."

"Ah, very nice. Well, let's see this airbender," the man said.

The merchant walked up to the beetle only to find the sliced ropes in Cheng Xin's place. "What…he's gone!"

The Fire Nation soldier folded his arms impatiently. "Is this some kind of joke?"

The merchant turned around. "No, I swear she was right here."

"Well, I see no airbender. Now if you'll excuse me, I have better things to do with my time," the Fire Nation soldier said as he walked away.

Cheng Xin dashed as fast as her legs could carry her, running and running until she reached was made her way to an open field. to see that she was at It looked like a circus; There were cages and tents surrounded the area, and in the center – a huge big top. Noticing Fire Nation citizens milling about, Cheng Xin brought her hood over her head as she walked toward the large tent in the center while avoiding the Fire Nation citizens. No sense in getting caught after coming this far. As she reached the tent she walked through what she thought was the entrance, only to find a room full of caged animals. She entered the big top to see rows of caged animals, both captivated and saddened by each poor creature's terrible situation, but one cage caught her attention the most.

_Appa__._

Cheng Xin scanned the room. to make sure that The coast was clear. before walking over to Appa's cage. Seeing the figure approach him, Appa growled at her defensively at her unexpected approach.

Cheng Xin slid her hood down. "Shh…it's okay, Appa. It's me, Cheng."

Put at the end of the sentence above Recognizing her, Appa calmed down.

Cheng Xin noticed Appa's chains. "Don't worry, I'm gonna get you out of here."

"Hey! What are you doing?"

Cheng Xin turned around to see a man at the entrance of the room. He was dressed in a gold circus outfit, sporting a long black beard. Cheng Xin backed away cautiously. The man was very intimidating as he stared down at her. But she couldn't run now, not when she was so close to rescuing Appa. "Nothing."

"Then get out of here, you little heathen, and wait for the show like everyone else!" The man lashed at her threateningly with a fire whip.

Cheng Xin dodged the attack and shot a burst of air at him, blasting the man was blown back into the wall behind him. Thinking quick, an idea struck her. Getting an idea, Running over to a cage, Cheng Xin ran over to one of the other cages and unlocked it released a platypus-bear. She didn't stop there; she proceeded to open all the cages until she freed every single animal. Returning to consciousness, the man leaped he was faced with a stampede of animals, and jumped out of the way before the oncoming stampede of animals could run him over.

Acting upon her chance, Cheng Xin opened Appa's cage. "Come on, Appa, let's get out of here!"

After a confrontation with a wall of fire sent him into a frightened retreat, Appa ripped through the top of the tent and escaped into the open sky. Appa ran out of the cage only to be confronted by a wall of fire. Frightened, he flew backwards ripping through the top of the tent. Appa flew through and into the open sky.

"We should head back to the desert. The others couldn't have gotten too far," Cheng Xin said.

..........

Aang lay awake as he stared up at the sky. Though they had managed to make it out of the desert alive, they still had no clues as to the whereabouts of Cheng Xin and Appa. Aang remembered the sandbenders saying something about selling Appa was supposed to be sold in Ba Sing Se…. He sighed. He had no doubt in his mind that Appa would be alright; his lifelong companion would be at his side soon enough and everything would return to normal. But what about Cheng Xin? What worried him was that all he would find _was_ Appa. Yes, he would be overjoyed to have his lifelong companion at his side once more, but that didn't make up for the loss of Cheng Xin. Cheng…she had quickly become a member of their little family, his friend, and the only other airbender around besides himself. Aang closed his eyes, allowing the feeling of fear to invade his thoughts. What if Cheng Xin and Appa got separated? what if she was still in the desert. The desert was endless…what if she got lost? What if she was trapped? What if she…? Aang shook the idea from his head; he wouldn't allow himself to think about something like that. Cheng Xin couldn't be dead, he sensed it in his heart. But his pain would never be truly relieved until he saw her standing in front of him.

..........

It didn't take long for Cheng Xin and Appa to reach the edge of the desert. There was only a small crater where the library once stood. Cheng Xin surveyed the area, but saw around seeing no signs of the others.

"Where could they have gone? Maybe back to that town?" She looked at the setting sun, scrambling to getting her bearings. "Let's head east."

They flew all night long, finally leaving the arid desert and entering a lush forest. Exhausted, Appa landed, and finding shelter in a small cave. Cheng Xin jumped down and comforted Appa with a few pats.

"Stay here, boy. I'll go look for some food." Leaving the cave, she saw a grove of berries down the hill.

As she approached the grove, she heard growling. She turned around to see a giant boar charging at her. Cheng Xin screamed, and Appa jumped in between her and the boar. The two animals tumbled down the hill into the grove, snapping and clawing at each other, until Appa knocked the boar into a tree and sent him scurrying away. The boar ran off and Cheng Xin greeted Appa with some berries as he returned to her laid out the berries for him when she noticed he was covered in thorns.

"Hold still, Appa. This might hurt a little." Cheng Xin pulled out one of the thorns; making Appa roared in pain. "Okay, maybe a lot."

Cheng Xin continued to pull the rest of thorns out and afterward undid his shackles. They entered the cave to rest for the night.

..........

The next morning Cheng Xin woke up to the sound of growling…and voices. Walking up to the front of the cave, she saw six women dressed in green armor and gold headdresses, and wearing makeup and gold head dressings.

She threw up her hands defensively. "Who are you?"

A girl stepped forward. "My name is Suki. We're the Kyoshi warriors. We're here to help."

Recognizing the names from Sokka's stories, Cheng Xin relaxed and walked toward Suki. "I'm Cheng Xin."

"Yes, Aang and the others told me all about you," Suki said, her eyes sparking with recollection. "I saw them just a few days ago."

Cheng Xin perked up. "You saw them? Where are they? Please tell me."

"Slow down! I'll tell you. We met up at Full Moon Bay; they said that they needed to go to Ba Sing Se, and I escorted them to the outer wall."

Before Cheng Xin could reply, a jet of blue fire struck a nearby tree. Appa growled, and Suki and the other Kyoshi warriors jumped in front of Cheng Xin, the other Kyoshi warriors following suit. Three figures riding on lizards approached the group.

Cheng Xin's eyes widened. "Azula."

Azula looked amused as she twirled a piece of Appa's fur in her hand, amused. "My, my…you're easy to find."

"What do you want with us?" Suki said as she brought out her fan and shield. She was prepared for a fight.

Azula raised an eyebrow to the group. "And what are you supposed to be? The Avatar's fan girls?"

Cheng Xin stepped forward. "Sorry, but Aang's not here. So you can just leave!"

Azula shrugged. "No Avatar? That's okay. Any friend of the Avatar is an enemy of mine." Azula shot out a blast of fire their way.

The Kyoshi warriors blocked Azula's flames just in time with their shields. Meanwhile Mai and Ty Lee unleashed an attack on them as well. jumped off of their lizards and attacked the warriors individually.

"Well, well. We meet again," Ty Lee said. as She accentuated her words with a punch aimed toward Cheng Xin's side.

_Oh great, not her nerve attacks again._ _I can't afford to be captured this time._ "Heh, it was nice seeing you, but I have other places to be." Cheng Xin air scooted away from Ty Lee's fists just in time.

She floated out of Ty Lee's reach, but lost control and ran straight into Mai.

Mai got to her feet and glared down at Cheng Xin, who was painfully sprawled out on the ground. "Someone's a little klutzy." Drawing a handful of darts from her sleeves, she sent them speeding toward Cheng Xin.

The young airbender leaped out of the way, snatched two fans from the ground, and sent a few blasts of air toward Mai who flipped over to the side.

"Cheng Xin, take Appa, and get out of here!" Suki said, as she dodged another attack from Azula.

Cheng Xin flew to Appa's side, but stopped. Suki saw worry etched over her features. "But, what about you guys?"

"We'll be fine! Just go find Aang and the others."

Nodding, Cheng Xin mounted Appa. "Yip-yip!" As they flew off, Cheng Xin turned to look behind her. They were leaving quite a battle down below. "I hope they'll be okay."

They flew for hours and hours. Night eventually fell, and glancing at Appa, Cheng Xin noticed how weary the bison looked. Surveying the land below, she spotted something in the distance…some sort of structure. It was an air temple.

She smiled and petted Appa affectionately. "Come on, Appa, We can rest here for the night, boy."

As Cheng Xin lay down against the hard ground, she remembered the library.

"The Eastern Air Temple!" Cheng Xin yanked her amulet from underneath her shirt. "Maybe I can find the next clue."

Cheng Xin ventured out, and came across the courtyard when she saw something - bunches of tiny green things hopping and jumping across the stone.

_M__othhoppers. I am in the right place._

A few more steps, and Cheng Xin looked up from the floor to come face to face with a giant statue…of a female airbender. At the bottom read the name Avatar Yang-Chen, the plate read. Something resting under the name caught Cheng Xin's eye.

"Hey, what's this?"

Picking up the object, she swiped the dust away to find that it was a swirling piece underneath the grime. Just like the other one she found. Examining the piece, she found paper hidden inside. Another note? She unfolded the parchment and silently read the words.

_I heard some of the monks talking. They said the Avatar's coming to the Eastern Air Temple. I don't think I've been more excited in my life. At last, after all this time__, __I get to meet…._

The note stopped there for the rest of the parchment was torn. Startled, Cheng Xin flipped the parchment over only to finding yet another message.

_To __retrieve__ the __final__ piece, find the place hidden under the Fire Lord's eye._

Cheng Xin stuffed the note and the piece together inside her amulet with the other ones. "Under the Fire Lord's eye? Part of this puzzle is hidden in the Fire Nation?" She moaned, disappointed. "Well, there goes my little adventure. There's no way I'm going anywhere near the Fire Nation."

She returned to Appa and rested. The following night they headed out to Ba Sing Se. After what seemed like forever they finally reached the outer wall, and flew over it into the city. Suddenly Appa's ears perked up and he flew down into one of the districts.

"Did you find them? Is it Aang?" Cheng Xin said as Appa landed between some buildings. Ahead of them, she saw a figure hidden in the shadows. "Aang?"

However when the figure stepped forward she saw it was not Aang, but some strange man holding a whistle. Before Cheng Xin or Appa could react the man flipped the ground from underneath them sending them under and out of sight.

..........

After entering Ba Sing Se, Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Toph now lived temporarily in the upper ring. They still desperately wanted to recover Appa and Cheng Xin, but their hope had moved temporarily to a different subject – they planned to speak with the Earth King about their plan they had to defeat the Fire Nation. Unfortunately, the task proved a bit more daunting than they had bargained. Now they meeting with Long Feng, advisor to the Earth King's advisor and head of the Dai Lee.

"It is the strict rule of Ba Sing Se that war is not mentioned within the walls," Long Feng said.

Aang stepped forward. "I'll tell them. I'll make sure everyone knows."

Long Feng narrowed his eyes at the young Avatar. "Up until now, you have been considered an honored guest; but from now on, you will be watched every moment by Dai Lee agents. If you mention the war to anyone, you will be expelled from the city." A small smirk showed on the corners of his mouth. " I understand you have been looking for your bison. It would be a shame for you to not complete your quest." He gestured towards the door. "Now Joo Dee will show you home."

The doors opened and a small figure stepped out.

"Come with me, please," she said.

Everyone looked at the girl curiously. She looked normal enough for the Earth Kingdom – a light yellow-green dress and hair pinned up around a dark green headdress. But beneath the attire, something looked different. They gasped in shock.

"No way," Sokka said.

Katara could barely utter a sentence. "But, how…?"

Aang walked cautiously toward her, concern sparkling vividly in his eyes. "Cheng?"

The girl bowed respectfully, looking up at the group through hazed eyes and smiling a creepy smile. "I am Joo Dee. I'll be your host as long as you're in our wonderful city."


	12. Chain Of Memories

Chapter Shi Er - Chain of Memories

Cheng Xin, or Joo Dee as she now strangely called herself, escorted Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Toph back to their temporary home in the upper ring. The four of them vaguely wondered why Cheng Xin didn't seem to remember them. The girl that stared back at them with eyes more un-focused than Toph's and that wide, eerie smile was definitely a different person.

Aang watched her with curiosity. How did she get to Ba Sing Se...how long had she been here...why didn't she recognize them...and if she was here then were was Appa? Try as he might, Aang just couldn't seem to come to any answers to his questions, and now Cheng Xin was acting and talking like she was a completely different person. Plus, it remained a mystery to him why she claimed her name was Joo Dee when the other woman that first escorted them inside the city had made it clear that Joo Dee was her name. Aang shook his head; it was all so confusing.

Cheng Xin led the way as they approached the dwelling, stopping at the door and turning to face them. "Well, here we are. Have a good night, and I'll come to check up on you in the morning."

Aang and Sokka exchanged glances, both nodding in confirmation. As Cheng Xin turned to leave, the two boys grabbed her arms and pulled her inside the house, closing the door behind them.

"All right, we're safe now. You can quit with the façade, Cheng Xin," Sokka said.

She looked at him with a blank face. "Who?"

Katara walked up to her. "Come on, Cheng. We're your friends, remember?"

Cheng Xin just stared at the group, perplexed. What were these people talking about? "I've told you before, I am Joo Dee." She walked around them toward the door. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I must be going."

She was about to leave when she felt something hard strike her head. She fell to the ground, unconscious.

"Sokka, what did you do that for?" Katara said.

Sokka knelt and gathered Cheng Xin in his arms, holding her aloft as he rose to his feet. "Well we couldn't just let her leave."

"But what do we do now? She's acting like she doesn't know us at all," Aang said.

Katara stared at him, concern showing in her face. "Yes, and why is she calling herself Joo Dee? Come to think of it, why would she even be working for Long Feng?"

Toph folded her arms. "I think…I think she was brainwashed."

"Brainwashed?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Toph pointed to Cheng Xin. "Whenever someone lies, they have a physical reaction. Like a change in their heartbeat. I hate to say it, but she's been completely honest with us."

"Because she thinks she's telling the truth," Sokka said. "We're going to have to jog Cheng Xin's memory."

"But how?" Katara said.

..........

Sokka awoke bright and early the next morning to work his magic on Cheng Xin. He was confident his idea would work. It was foolproof. No one could pull it off but him. Headed for Cheng Xin's room, Sokka prepared to knock.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" He turned to see Katara standing behind him. "Maybe one of us should try first."

He gave his sister a look only he could give. "Katara, I know what I'm doing. My plan is foolproof." And with that, he knocked three times before opening the door and slipping inside the room.

Standing with his back to the door, he saw that she was awake. "Good morning."

Cheng Xin put a hand to her head as she unwillingly let out a yawn. "Good morning." Her gaze ventured to glance about the room. "What am I doing here?"

"You were really tired last night so we decided to let you stay," Sokka said, as he walked up to her. _Okay, I can do this. If anything will jog her memory, this is it._

She stretched her arms and shoved herself out of bed, landing on her feet. "Well, thank you for your hospitality, but I must get going now."

Sokka wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "Nonsense, Cheng Xin, my man. Besides, I think it's been a while since we had one of our heart-to-heart talks."

A high-pitched scream pierced the air. Aang, Katara, and Toph backed away from the door where they had been eavesdropping. A loud smack ensued, and they exchanged worried glances.

Cheng Xin dashed out into the living area, stopping only to turn around and point a finger in the direction of the room. "Young man, you are absolutely vile! And I suggest you use some restraint when addressing a lady!"

She high-tailed it toward the door once again as Sokka walked out, dejected. Katara looked at him smugly. "Foolproof, huh?"

Sokka glared at his sister, while rubbing at the red mark Cheng Xin had left on his face. "Your turn, Toph."

Before Cheng Xin could reach the door, Toph was standing in her path.

"Excuse me, but will you please let me leave?" Cheng Xin said.

Instead, Toph pushed her back into the living room, "Not so fast, Princess." She forced her to sit down on the floor and sat beside her. "So, Cheng, do you remember what happened when we first met?"

Seriously, she was starting to get annoyed. Why were they calling her someone she wasn't? "My name is Joo Dee."

"Sure, it is," Toph said. She started picking her nose. "Anyway, when we met, you had been left in a burning building by Azula."

"Who…?"

"Azula," Toph insisted, starting to get antsy. "The daughter of the Fire Lord! You know, the Fire Nation? The ones who started this whole war." She flicked her snot at the wall.

_Eew, what a disgusting girl._ Cheng Xin watched Toph move on to her toes, and dig deep with her fingers to pick out any gunk. Cheng Xin recoiled in disgust. "For the last time, I don't know what you're talking about. And what war do you speak of? This is Ba Sing Se; everyone is happy and safe here."

Toph growled as she took Cheng Xin by the shoulders and shook her. "Will you snap out of it already! We know Long Feng brainwashed you. Now will you wake up and start being our friend again!" She felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Um, I'll take it from here, Toph," Katara said. She turned to Cheng Xin. "Let's go someplace less distracting."

As Katara led Cheng Xin on a walk around the upper ring, she thought for a moment before speaking, concern etched on her face.

_Cheng, if everything else couldn't help you remember, maybe this will._ Katara looked at her with concern. "Joo Dee, you have no idea why we keep interrogating you, do you?"

Cheng Xin looked at her blankly. "Of course not."

"It's because you aren't Joo Dee, you are Cheng Xin. You joined us on our journey so that you could help Aang fight the Fire Nation in the war," Katara said.

Cheng Xin blinked. "War?"

Katara rubbed her temples, frustrated. "I know, there is no war in Ba Sing Se." She calmed down and looked at her. "But the real reason you joined us was because your grandparents wanted you to marry Aang because you're the last female airbender."

Something about what Katara said clicked and Cheng Xin clutched her forehead in pain. "Marry…Aang…never."

_She's turning back to normal_. Katara smiled. "Yes, and why not?"

Cheng Xin released her grip and looked at Katara with dulled eyes. "Why, because I'm far too young to marry of course. The marrying age in Ba Sing Se is sixteen." She gave Katara a creepy smile.

Katara sighed. She was so close. "Come on."

She snatched Cheng Xin by the hand and brought her back to the house where Aang was waiting.

He rushed over to them. "Did you make any progress?"

Katara shook her head. "No, not really. It's your turn to try."

Aang stepped timidly toward Cheng Xin and took her by the hand. Looking confused at first, she eventually followed his walk.

He looked at her as she walked in silence with the same creepy smile on her face. Aang wondered what he could say that would jog her memory. All he could do was ask the one question that has been burning his tongue since he saw her.

"Cheng Xin, where's Appa?"

Cheng Xin blinked. "Appa?"

Aang nodded. "Yes, Appa." He put his hands on her shoulders. "Don't you remember? We were in the desert and we went into that underground library. Toph said that the two of you were ambushed by sandbenders who were trying to steal Appa. You took him and escaped. Remember that. Remember Appa. Remember how you ended up with Long Feng." Nothing but blank eyes stared back at him. "Please…Appa means everything to me."

Strangely that was all it took. Cheng Xin grabbed her head in pain as she sunk to the ground. Her memories flooded back into her mind, and the dullness in her eyes faded.

She slowly looked up. "Aang?"

He smiled. "Yes, I'm Aang. Do you remember?"

Cheng Xin nodded. "Yes…I do." She gasped before looking at him desperately. "Aang, we need to find Appa! He's here in the city. Long Feng, and the Dai Li…."

Two gloves as hard as rocks clamped around her mouth, and pulled her into the dark alley beside them.

"Cheng!" Aang was about to run after her when he saw the Dai Li appear on the roof with Cheng Xin in their arms.

One of the agents looked down at him. "Return to your home."

Aang whipped out his staff. "Not until you let go of my friend!"

One more pair of gloves wrapped tight around his wrists as two of the agents snuck up behind him. Taking a deep breath, Aang blew himself backward, knocking the agents to the side and sending them crashing into a nearby cabbage cart.

The owner raised his hands in the air. "My cabbages!"

Turning his attention from the commotion, Aang saw that the agents were gone…and so was Cheng Xin. Twisting around, he witnessed the remaining Dai Lee vanish beneath the earth.

..........

Cheng Xin came to inside the palace library. She glanced nervously around the room.There were Dai Li agents guarding the doors. And sitting before her was Long Feng. His figure slightly silhouetted by the green flames in the fire place behind him, he stared down at her displeased.

"It seems using you was a mistake."

She struggled against the agents' hold. "Let go of me."

Long Feng shook his head. "I'm afraid I can't allow that. The Avatar is threatening the delicate balance I've worked so hard to achieve in this city. With you free, that nightmare will become a reality." He turned toward one of the agents. "Take her to Lake Laogai."

"No, I won't go back there! Let me go!" Cheng Xin said, kicking one of the agents in the shin.

Long Feng smirked. This girl was becoming a nuisance. "Joo Dee, the Earth King has invited you to Lake Laogai."

Suddenly, Cheng Xin ended her struggle, and relaxed as her eyes returned to their former dulled, hazy state. "I am honored to accept his invitation."


	13. Lake Laogai

Chapter Shi San- Lake Laogai

There she stood, a sharp, razor fan in each hand, her eyes glued to the door in front of her, and behind her…Appa.

_Destroy intruders who try to steal the bison. Destroy intruders. Destroy._

The words echoed in Cheng Xin's mind as she carried out her orders. She had to obey Long Feng; she had to serve her Earth King. No one would enter this cell and take the bison without paying the price.

……….

"No, you can't be serious!" Katara said, her eyes full of shock and worry.

She, Sokka, and Toph had waited at the house for Aang and Cheng Xin. But when Aang returned alone, they quickly asked what had happened and he explained the situation.

Aang nodded. "Yes. Long Feng and the Dai Li are holding her against her will. And I believe they have Appa as well. Before they captured her, Cheng remembered us. She said Appa was here in the city."

"So what do we do now? We can't exactly storm the palace and demand them back. Long Feng could easily cover his tracks and we'd have no evidence to support our claim," Sokka said.

"I don't know." Aang sighed.

There was a sudden knock at the door, and Katara left to open it. The moment she did, however, she gasped and glared at the figure before her.

"Jet."

He had shaggy brown hair with lightly tanned skin. He wore a red and dark navy tunic with mix-matched armor. Katara gritted her teeth in anger. What was this leech doing here? Probably to suck them into another trap.

Jet smiled. "Hello, Kata…."

Before he could finish the sentence, Katara shot a stream of water at him, knocking him back onto the porch.

"Wait, stop. Katara, I've changed," Jet said, holding his hands up in surrender.

"Don't lie to me! Don't play games with my head like you did before!" Katara said, as she prepared to attack him again.

Aang placed a hand on her shoulder. "Katara, calm down. We don't even know why he's here."

She stubbornly turned away from him. "I don't care why he's here. We can't trust Jet or anything he says."

Jet stood and shook some of the water off of himself. "Please, just hear me out. I heard you guys were in the city and I wanted to apologize for my behavior and how I treated you before."

Katara folded her arms and huffed. "Liar."

Toph stepped forward. "Actually, he's not lying."

"Fine." Katara looked at Jet. "Now if you're done apologizing you can leave."

"Wait," Sokka said. "Maybe Jet could help us out."

"How?" Aang said.

"Well, we need to find Appa and Cheng Xin, don't we?"

Jet nodded as he leaned against the pillar. "If it'll make things up for what I've done, sure."

……….

He hadn't mistaken that voice. Zuko was walking home from the teashop his uncle and he were working at in the lower ring of Ba Sing Se. They traveled to the Earth Kingdom capital in an attempt to escape Azula and the bounty hunters, but even now Zuko could honestly say that he still existed in a living hell. To him the Earth Kingdom was his enemy, and he was pretending to be one of them under false pretenses. He sickened himself. His uncle, however, was perfectly happy and content, but Zuko wasn't his uncle. He was the Prince of the Fire Nation. Unfortunately, as time progressed his destiny seemed to be slipping further and further out of his reach.

But now a spark of hope was brightening his gloomy days. It was the second airbender. Zuko immediately recognized the voice even though the appearance didn't quite match up. He could have sworn the second airbender was a boy, not a girl. Then again, he never paid that close attention. It didn't matter, though; he had already received all the information he needed. If that airbender was in Ba Sing Se, then the Avatar had to be there, as well. Zuko had a purpose again. All he had to do was capture the girl, and the Avatar would be all his. And it wouldn't be hard to find her; the Dai Li were going to lead the way whether they wanted to or not.

……….

"So you think the Dai Li stole Appa and this Cheng friend of yours?" Jet said.

The gang was sitting in the living room of the house so they could discuss their plans in secret.

Aang nodded. "Yes, but we don't know how to infiltrate Long Feng so we can search for them."

Jet thought for a while as he twirled a piece of straw in his mouth. "What if we let one of us get captured? They'd probably take you to the same place they took Appa and your friend."

"Wow, that's different. I suspected you would just want to blow up the palace and kill thousands of innocent people," Katara said.

"I told you before. I'm trying to turn over a new leaf." Jet walked over to her. "Why won't you trust me?"

"But what Jet said is a great idea. Letting one of us get captured could work," Sokka said.

Toph shook her head. "Or not. Long Feng and the Dai Li already have it out for us. They'll just suspect something."

"Well, we have to try. Right now, we don't have any other options," Aang said.

The gang decided to leave the house, but when they opened the door someone was waiting for them on the porch.

"Hello, Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Toph."

It was the original Joo Dee that had escorted them into Ba Sing Se when they first arrived.

"Joo Dee?" Katara said, her eyebrow raised.

Joo Dee just smiled. "Good evening. I have come to escort you to dinner."

"But where have you been?" Aang said.

Katara nodded. "Yeah, you disappeared after the King's party. We thought you might have been arrested."

Joo Dee looked at them, surprised. "Arrested? Of course not. I simply went to Lake Laogai for a vacation. It's out in the country, and quite a relaxing get away from the busy city." She gestured to the carriage in front of the house. "Now if you'll come, we may go to one of my favorite restaurants."

"We're not hungry," Toph said.

"Well actually I'm a little…" Sokka began to say when Toph stomped on his foot. "Yeah, not hungry, sure."

"In that case, I must stay with you here," Joo Dee said.

Katara narrowed her eyes. "We don't need a babysitter."

Joo Dee's face went blank as she recited, "By order of our Grand Secretariat, Long Feng, you will be supervised at all times. No exceptions."

Aang stepped up to her. "Then you can tell Long Feng not to bother, 'cause we're not following any more rules. We don't need a supervisor, and we are getting Appa and Cheng Xin back. So you should just stay out of our way!" He slammed the door in her face and folded her arms, annoyed. He was tired of playing these games; he needed to rescue his friends.

"That might come back to bite us later," Sokka said.

"I don't care," Aang said.

"And besides, we now have a lead," Jet said, smirking.

Katara glanced at him questioningly. "What are you talking about?"

"That Joo Dee woman works with the Dai Li and Long Feng, right? Maybe there's more to this Lake Laogai place than she let on."

Sokka considered the idea. "Good thinking. It's definitely something we should look into."

……….

The gang set out and, with the help of a few maps, they reached Lake Laogai by midnight. They examined the area around them. There didn't seem to be anything around except for vegetation and the large lake that stretched on for miles.

"Nothing's here," Katara said. She groaned, thinking they'd been led on a wild goose chase.

"Hold on." Toph pointed in a location near the shore. "I feel a secret tunnel underneath the water." She walked over to the spot and raised a chunk of land with her earthbending.

At the end of the trail was a trap door. They opened it to see a deep well with a ladder leading all the way down. Nodding to each other, they headed inside.

……….

How long had it been? It felt like hours, maybe even days. It wasn't like it mattered. Cheng Xin had to obey. She had to serve her Earth King. Suddenly, the bison started to growl and struggled against its chains.

"Silence, beast," Cheng Xin said, when she heard the door open. She held out her fans, prepared for a battle. It was her duty to annihilate any intruders.

The figure entered the room. They were dressed in black, their face hidden beneath a blue mask. In their hands was a pair of broad swords.

The person approached her. "Hoping for someone else?" From the voice, they were obviously male.

Cheng Xin held up her fans, ready to strike. "Leave this instant or face your own demise."

The man pointed one of his swords at her. "You think you can defeat me?"

"I will do anything to serve my Earth King." She leaped into the air and blew a gust of wind from her mouth that threw the man back into the wall.

She landed directly in front of him, and swung her right arm forward. Cheng Xin would have almost severed the man's head if he hadn't ducked and kicked her legs out from under her. Tucking and rolling, Cheng Xin flipped herself onto her feet, and air whipped the man across his back. He stumbled slightly and growled, furious. Cheng Xin ran at him again. Wanting to end this, the man sent a blast of fire straight at her. She quickly dodged out of the way on an air scooter, and swiped a current of wind at him with her fans. The man tumbled to the ground, and growled even more. With one last attempt, the man shot a low wave of flames. Cheng Xin was standing too close, and when she tried to jump out of the way, the wave struck her left leg, making her yell out in pain. She buckled onto the ground, holding her side. Before she could do anymore, the man hit her against the back of her head with the hilt of his swords, knocking her unconscious.

……….

Aang, Katara, Sokka, Toph, and Jet ran through the various corridors as they searched for Appa and Cheng Xin. So far all they'd managed to find were dead ends and a room full of Joo Dees. They finally came across a room that looked big enough for Appa.

"Maybe it's this one," Aang said, as he blew open the door with his staff.

When they entered the room it appeared empty, but when they looked up, they were in for a big surprise. Hanging off of the ceiling, waiting for them, were at least a hundred Dai Li agents.

"I believe you've overstayed your welcome."

They turned to see Long Feng at the entrance of the room.

Aang stepped forward and aimed his staff at him. "We know you have our friends. Let Appa and Cheng Xin go!"

"I think not," Long Feng said. "Take them into custody."

……….

The first thing she heard was the sound of someone screaming. Whoever they were, they were angry and frustrated. Opening her eyes, Cheng Xin tried to process what had just happened. Her head was killing her and she felt a searing pain in her leg.

That was right. She blinked as the memories flooded back into her brain. The library, the sandbenders, following the group to Ba Sing Se. And then…Long Feng. Cheng Xin sat up. She tried to put less weight on her left leg, because it stung for some reason. She didn't understand why, though.

_Where am I?_ She heard something growl behind her. Turning around, she gasped. "Appa."

"So you're awake."

Her eyes widened. She knew that voice. _No._ Cheng Xin turned in the direction of the person that spoke and saw Iroh and Zuko. "No, get away from me!"

Iroh gave her a kind smile. "It's alright. We're not going to hurt you."

She glared at them. "Oh, really. Then why am I burned?" Cheng Xin gestured to her singed clothes and the red mark on her shin.

Zuko sighed. "It's not like I had a choice. You attacked me first."

"A likely story," she said. "I bet you just came here to capture Appa."

Zuko made a hesitant face, unsure of what to say, and looked away from her.

Iroh stepped forward. "If you want to escape, Miss…."

She nodded. "Cheng Xin."

"Yes. My nephew and I can help you and your bison escape," Iroh said.

"What?" Zuko stared at his uncle with disbelief. "I promised I wouldn't capture them, but I'm not going to help them!"

Cheng Xin narrowed her eyes. "Like I need it. I'll get Appa and myself out of here alone." She walked over to one of the shackles around Appa's legs and sliced it open with her airbending.

Iroh sighed. "Please forgive my nephew's rudeness."

"You're the enemy. I don't really expect much," Cheng Xin said. However, at the same time she wasn't sure what to expect. They'd had all the opportunity to capture or kill her and be on their way, but instead they were just standing there.

Zuko muttered under his breath, "Fine, go on your own. I bet you don't even know the way out."

"I'll figure it…."

"Look, we're rescuing you whether you want us to or not, so stop being stubborn and let us!" he said.

Cheng Xin just stared at the two of them. Iroh smiled at his nephew, while Zuko looked annoyed and impatient. It seemed like he was fighting against all of his natural instincts to help her. Either that or he was just a very angry person.

"Whatever. Just help me undo these chains."

……….

The Dai Li overpowered Aang and the others, and the gang had no choice but to escape the underground headquarters. They made it back to the surface with the Dai Li on their tail.

Katara looked up ahead. More agents appeared in front of them and cut off their path with a rock wall. "Oh no."

The Dai Li chasing them brought up a second wall behind them, boxing the gang in. They stopped running as Long Feng appeared at the top of the wall. They were trapped and there was no way they could fight off all of the Dai Li agents. Suddenly Momo flew down toward them and glided around Aang.

"What is it, Momo?" he said.

Momo soared out into the sky. Everyone followed Momo's path until their vision was blocked by the sun. The silhouette of something large appeared and grew as it approached the group.

Aang's eyes widened. He'd know that roar anywhere. "Appa!"

"And Cheng Xin!" Katara said.

Cheng Xin grinned as she rode bareback on Appa's shoulders. She spotted the gang and the Dai Li agents by the lake. "Hey, boy, how about we give Long Feng a little payback?"

Appa roared in reply and smashed into the rock walls, knocking the Dai Li agents every which way. Circling around, the giant bison landed in front of Long Feng.

Long Feng held up his fists, ready to strike. "I can handle you by myself."

Before he could even throw a punch, Appa caught Long Feng's leg with his teeth and tossed him across the river.

"Handle that, loser!" Cheng Xin said, laughing.

Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Toph cheered happily and crowded around Appa.

"I missed you, buddy," Aang said, as he hugged Appa.

Cheng Xin slid down on the ground and Katara ran up to her. "Cheng, you made it here, but how?"

She smiled sheepishly. "Long Feng happened to place me in the same holding cell as Appa. The rest was kind of easy from there."

"Way to go, Princess," Toph said.

Aang quickly embraced her in a hug, a tear escaping his eye. "Thank you, Cheng."

Cheng Xin returned the embrace. "Of course, Aang."

"Well, you guys managed to find your friends. I guess I should be going now," Jet said, as he started walking away.

Katara placed a hand on his shoulder. "Wait, Jet. I'm sorry I was so harsh before. If you still want to help us, we have another task to take care of."

"Yes, now that the family's back together, we need to confront the Earth King," Sokka said.

He nodded. "All right, I'm in."

The six of them returned to the city on Appa. As they soared through the sky, Cheng Xin glanced back at the lake. Although she was happy to reunite with everyone, she hadn't been completely honest. She rubbed her left leg and winced a little from the pain.

Katara looked at her, concerned. "Are you alright?"

"It's just a small scrape. Must have happened while Long Feng still had me under his control," she said.

"Here, let me see." Katara blinked, surprised. "You're burned." She took out some water and started to heal the wound.

Cheng Xin looked away. "I guess."

……….

_Iroh and Zuko led Cheng Xin and Appa to a cave opening that was big enough for the bison to fit through. Cheng Xin eyed the Fire Nation members suspiciously the entire time. Why were they helping her or Aang for that matter? Aang was the Avatar, and from what the others told her, Zuko had been hunting down Aang since they found him in the iceberg._

_As they reached the exit, she finally asked, "Why are you doing this? You're Fire Nation. This is a trap, isn't it?"_

_Zuko remained silent, and Iroh sighed. She had every right to be wary of them. _

_"I know you may feel wary of us, but trust me. We are not here to cause harm to anyone. My nephew and I just want to live in Ba Sing Se in peace. You and the bison are free to return to your friends."_

_She raised an eyebrow, but stayed quiet as she left the Dai Li's headquarters with Appa._

……….

_What should I do?_ Cheng Xin closed her eyes as she groaned, frustrated.

"Is something else wrong?" Katara said, as she finished healing her leg. "You seem distracted."

She shook her head. "No, I'm fine." Cheng Xin returned her attention to the lake. _I'll keep my mouth shut. For now._


	14. The Earth King

Chapter Shi Si- The Earth King

It was early morning, and the gang had set out on Appa. Their destination: the royal palace in the center of Ba Sing Se.

"Are you sure storming the palace is such a good idea?" Cheng Xin said. Sure, they weren't left with much of a choice, but the palace was heavily guarded. She didn't think they would make it through.

Sokka nodded. "Yes, part of the reason we came to Ba Sing Se was to inform the King about a solar eclipse that's coming this summer."

"Solar eclipse?" Jet said.

"The firebenders lose their ability to bend during an eclipse. If we can convince the Earth King to attack on that day, we can finally put an end to this war."

Jet smirked. He despised the Fire Nation ever since they burned down his village and killed his family when he was just a child. He'd love to be there to deal such a devastating blow. "That plan is perfect."

Katara narrowed her eyes as they neared the palace. "Yeah, but we'll have to be careful. Long Feng's probably warned the Earth King that we're coming."

Sokka shook his head. "Why would you assume that? If you ask me, I think we're just gonna sail in…."

Suddenly a huge earth platform shot up straight at them. Aang quickly steered Appa around the platform, missing it by an inch.

"What was that?" Toph said.

"The Earth King's military is attacking us," Cheng Xin said.

More boulders jetted out toward them, and Aang disintegrated them with his earthbending. Taking his staff, Aang jumped down into the ground, creating a shockwave that knocked a group of soldiers back. Everyone else landed with Appa and they made their way toward the palace as more soldiers came their way.

Katara's water whipped soldiers out of the way while Toph blocked their attacks with small walls of earth. A group of soldiers charged at them from the front. Cheng Xin jumped ahead with her fans ready, and created a violent gust of wind that blew the soldiers into the moat surrounding the central part of the palace. Aang leaped over the moat and froze the soldiers inside with his staff. As they reached the stairs, another handful of soldiers earthbended two large badger mole statues down at them.

"Look out!" Sokka said, pointing up.

Toph and Aang worked together and created a rock shield that blocked the statues as they crashed into the ground. Now at the base of the stairs, Toph stepped forward and bended the stairs flat. The soldiers started to slide down while Aang and Toph created a platform and bended everyone up to the palace entrance.

At the door more soldiers came at them from the sides, and Katara sent a stream that pushed them over the edge. Holding her stance, tentacles of water engulfing her arms, Katara blasted a wave of water at the soldiers waiting at the palace entrance door. They were frozen to the door as it was knocked off of its hinges and crashed to the ground.

Katara cringed, knowing she hurt them severely. She didn't want to fight these people because they were on the same side. Unfortunately, they didn't have much of a choice. "Sorry, we just need to see the Earth King."

Jet grinned. Katara had gotten stronger with her waterbending since the last time he saw her. He placed a hand on her shoulder. "Nice one, Katara."

She looked at him warily, a bit uncomfortable with that glint in his eye. That was how she had fallen for him…no, his _tricks_ the first time. She forced a smile. "Uh, thanks."

They entered the palace where they were greeted by more soldiers. Sokka knocked out a few of them with his boomerang. Jet ran forward and slid across the floor, catching some of the others by the ankle with his hooked swords.

Cheng Xin examined the thousands of doors that filled the palace. This place was huge; the entire Northern Water Tribe could have fit inside. "Can you sense where the Earth King is, Toph?"

"How should I know? I think we should leave Ba Sing Se," Toph said.

Sokka ran ahead, opening a few rooms, until he came across a massive door at the end of the hall. It was more decorative than all the rest. "Now that's impressive. It's gotta go somewhere."

Toph and Aang broke down the doors with their bending and then everyone found themselves in the throne room. Sitting on a large golden throne was the Earth King himself. He was dressed in green and yellow robes. His hair was tied back in a long braid and he wore a small pair of spectacles.

However, before anyone could get a word in, Long Feng appeared at the Earth King's side along with a handful of Dai Li agents. The gang prepared for another fight.

"We need to talk to you," Aang said.

Long Feng looked at the Earth King. "They're here to overthrow you."

"No, we're on your side. We're here to help. You have to trust us," Sokka said.

The Earth King stood up and stared at the group with distaste. "You invade my palace, lay waste to all my guards, break down my fancy door, and you expect me to trust you?"

Cheng Xin raised an eyebrow. _Considering there's only six of us and we took out all of his military, he might want to consider a new training program._

"He has a good point," Toph said.

"If you're on my side, drop your weapons and stand down," the Earth King said.

They shared a glance, and did as they were told.

Aang grinned sheepishly. "See, we're friends, your Earthiness."

The Earth King frowned, unimpressed.

Long Feng smirked. "Detain the assailants."

Some of the Dai Li agents rushed behind the group and bound their hands with rock gloves.

"Make sure the Avatar and his friends never see the light of day again," Long Feng said.

The Earth King's eyes widened. "The Avatar." He looked at Sokka. "You're the Avatar?"

"Um, no. Him," Sokka said, gesturing toward Aang.

Long Feng sighed. "What does it matter, your Highness? They're enemies of the state."

"Please hear us out, your Majesty. We have no intentions of overthrowing you or anything like that," Cheng Xin said. "The information that we have is a matter of life and death."

The Earth King considered it, unsure what to think. He still was going to believe his advisor, but if these children went through all of this just to tell him something, maybe he should give them a chance.

He nodded. "Very well. I'll hear what they have to say."

Aang stepped forward. "Well, sir, there is a war going on right now. For the past one hundred years, in fact. The Dai Li's kept it secret from you. It's a conspiracy to control the city, and to control you."

"A secret war? That's crazy!" said the Earth King, surprised.

Long Feng nodded. "Completely."

Aang frowned. "Long Feng didn't want us to tell you, so he kidnapped our friend, Cheng, and stole our sky bison to blackmail us."

"And he brainwashed me into becoming one of his servants." Cheng Xin stood beside Aang. "He has a whole underground headquarters beneath Lake Laogai that he uses to brainwash new citizens so they won't speak about the war."

"Silence, girl," Long Feng said, glaring at Cheng Xin. He had to figure out a way to get rid of these nuisances before they ruined everything. He leaned into the Earth King's ear. "These hooligans are part of an anarchist cell that my agents have been tracking for weeks. They're slowly trying to turn everyone in the Kingdom against you." He pointed to Cheng Xin and Jet. "The young girl and that boy are the first of their recruitments. If you listen to them, you're playing right into your own destruction."

Finally some of this was starting to make sense. The Earth King shook his head. "I have to trust my advisor."

The Dai Li led the gang out of the throne room. Long Feng smirked with triumph.

"What do we do?" Katara said.

"I don't know," Aang said.

An idea popped into Sokka's head, and he tore himself away from the Dai Li agent's grip as he turned around. "Wait. Your Highness, what if we had evidence to prove our claim?"

Katara raised an eyebrow and whispered, "What are you trying to do?"

He winked at her and returned his attention to the Earth King. "Sir, if you let us escort you to the outer wall, we can prove this war is real," Sokka said.

"That's absurd. No Earth King has been to the Outer Wall," The Earth King said.

"Precisely, now stop wasting the King's time. Dai Li, take the assailants away," Long Feng said.

Cheng Xin noticed a large bear that was dressed in similar clothing to the King walk over to him and lick his face.

The Earth King laughed. "Bosco, cut that out, you silly thing."

_Maybe there is a way we can convince him._ Cheng Xin smiled. The Earth King obviously had a weak spot for animals. "Your Excellency, you don't have to listen to us. But maybe we could offer you a kind gesture in order to make some peace between us."

"And what would that be?" The Earth King said.

"Well, in order to make up for all the trouble we have caused you, if you'd like, we can give you a joy ride on our sky bison," Cheng Xin said.

The Earth King glanced at Appa. He'd never ridden a sky bison before. He knew they were capable of flying. Oh what fun it would be. He smiled. "Actually, I'd…."

"If I may interject, your Highness, you have a busy schedule to keep. You don't have time to go gallivanting on some wild animal."

"Nonsense, Long Feng. If these children want to apologize and make peace, then I believe I should let them," the Earth King said.

Long Feng narrowed his eyes at the gang. They were up to something; that much was obvious. "However, just to be on the safe side, only the airbender girl shall escort you on this trip. The rest shall remain here where my agents can keep a close eye on them."

Everyone in the group shared a glance. Four Dai Li agents led the Earth King and Cheng Xin out of the throne room.

"Does your friend even know what she's doing?" Jet said.

"I hope so." Katara sighed. "This doesn't feel right."

Long Feng strode over to them. "Well I can assure you all that you won't have to worry about your friend." He smirked. "In fact, she's going to secure the safety of this city."

……….

"Um, can we go a little slower please!"

The Earth King was gripping on for dear life as they rode bareback on Appa over the city. A couple of imperial earthbenders were with the King for protection, but other than that, Cheng Xin was in this alone. This was their one shot to prove to the Earth King that the war was real. The others mentioned that there was something at the outer wall; then that was where they'd go. She wasn't sure what was there, but she hoped it made an impact.

Cheng Xin giggled at the Earth King's panicked expression. "First time flyer?"

He smiled uneasily. "It's both thrilling and terrifying."

"You get used to it after a while," she said.

They reached the outer wall, and Cheng Xin spotted something strange connected to it. It was made of metal and had a Fire Nation insignia on it. From what seemed to be some kind of drill. "Hey, look at that, your Highness."

The Earth King glanced down at the wall and gasped. "My word, what is that?"

Cheng Xin frowned. "The Fire Nation did this. They were trying to break through the wall with that drill."

He couldn't believe it. The war was real? He didn't want to fathom the idea that it was, but the evidence was right there in plain sight.

"I want to land," he said.

Cheng Xin nodded and landed Appa on the outer wall. The Earth King walked over to the edge, completely shaken by the event. "I can't believe I never knew."

"Your Majesty, I can explain this." Long Feng and a few Dai Li agents approached them. "This is nothing more than a construction project," Long Feng said, as she walked over to them.

Cheng Xin glared at him. "Really? In that case, would you also like to explain why there's a Fire Nation insignia on your _construction project_?"

Long Feng looked away. "Well, it's imported of course. You know you can't trust domestic machinery."

The Earth King switched his gaze between Cheng Xin and Long Feng. He wasn't sure whom to believe.

Long Feng raised an eyebrow. The King's hesitance wasn't a good sign. "Surely you don't trust this conspiracy story over your most loyal attendant?"

"I'm afraid this war is something I should look into," the Earth King said.

"I'm sorry to hear that, your Highness." Long Feng smirked. "Cheng Xin, the Earth King has invited you to Lake Laogai."

Cheng Xin immediately clutched her aching head, and screamed out in pain as she fell to her knees. He was trying to control her again. No, she couldn't let it happen. Not again. Slowly Cheng Xin felt herself lose control.

Her eyes went dull, and in a monotone voice she replied, "I am happy to accept his invitation." She grabbed her fans, opening them, and turned to the Earth King, ready to attack.

The Earth King's eyes widened with shock. Those kids did mention Long Feng brainwashing people and Lake Laogai. Then that could only mean…. "What is the meaning of this, Long Feng?"

"Forgive me, your Majesty, but this is for your own good. Dai Li, detain the Earth King," Long Feng said.

The Dai Li shot their rock gloves at the Earth King to capture him, but the King's guards blocked the attack. The Earth King wasn't sure what to think. In a matter of seconds his own advisor had turned against him.

……….

Aang and the others waited in silence as the remaining Dai Li agents kept them under surveillance. Each of them exchanged glances with each other. They all knew Long Feng was up to no good, and they had to do something and fast. Aang twirled his hands around in the earth cuffs wrapped around his wrists. The keyword was that they were made of earth; he could break out of them with out a problem.

_I have to rescue Cheng and the Earth King._ Thinking quickly, Aang took a deep breath and blew out a gust of air. The voice sent him backwards, knocking down the agents that were holding him.

The disturbance the other Dai Li agents off guard and the gang took the opportunity to their advantage. Toph bended herself out of her cuffs and created to walls that crashed into the agents on either side of her. Aang ran over to Katara, Sokka, and Jet, and released them from their cuffs.

Katara rubbed her sore wrists and looked at Aang. "Thanks. What do we do?"

Aang collected his staff. "You guys take care of everything here. I'm going ahead to stop Long Feng."

He rushed out of the throne and soared out over the city walls on his glider. Aang knew the only way they catch up to them in time was if he went alone. Reaching the outer wall, Aang spotted Appa and saw the Dai Li fighting against the Earth King's soldiers.

_I knew it. They were trouble._ Aang swooped down and landed in between the fight. As he made contact with the floor, Aang swung his staff down, blowing everyone back.

A fan soared by his head missing him by an inch. He turned to see Cheng Xin. Her eyes were glazed over, and she stalked over to him with murderous intent. Aang groaned. He didn't want to fight her. Just as Cheng Xin threw her second fan toward him, he quickly jumped over it and landed behind her. With one simple stroke, he lightly hit her on the back of the head with his staff, knocking her unconscious.

Aang walked over to the Earth King. "Are you alright, your Highness."

The Earth King nodded. "Yes. Thank you, Avatar."

Cheng Xin groaned as she began to stir. She sat up and placed a hand still on her throbbing head. "Aang."

He ran over to her and helped her up. "It's okay, Cheng. Long Feng put you under a trance again."

The Earth King stood. "Speaking of which…." He narrowed his eyes at his advisor. "Soldiers, arrest Long Feng and the Dai Li. I want them to stand trial for crimes against the Earth Kingdom."

……….

Aang, Cheng Xin and the Earth King returned to the palace where the remaining Dai Li agents were arrested and taken to jail.

The Earth King sat in his throne, his expression drowned with guilt and disbelief. He looked at the gang. "I want to thank you, young heroes, for opening my eyes. What I thought was a great metropolis, was merely a city of fools, and that makes me the King Fool.

Sokka stepped forward. "That's why we came to Ba Sing Se, your Highness. Because we think you can help us end the war."

Aang nodded. "We don't have much time. There's a comet coming this summer. Its energy will give the firebenders unbelievable strength. They'll be unstoppable."

"But there is hope. Before the comet comes, we have a window of opportunity. A solar eclipse is coming. The sun will be entirely blocked out by the moon, and the firebenders will be helpless," Sokka said.

Furrowing his brow the Earth King said, "What are you suggesting, Sokka?"

He smiled. "That's the day we need to invade the Fire Nation. The Day of Black Sun."

The Earth King thought for a minute. "I don't know. That would require moving troops out of Ba Sing Se. We'd be completely vulnerable."

Sokka shook his head. "You're _already_ vulnerable. The Fire Nation won't stop until Ba Sing Se falls. You can either sit back and wait for that to happen, or take the offensive and give yourself a fighting chance."

"Very well. You have my support," the Earth said, nodding.

Aang, Katara, Sokka, Cheng Xin, and Toph cheered and shared a hug for their victory. Jet just stood on the sidelines and smirked; hugs weren't his thing.

An officer entered the throne room and bowed to the Earth King. "Your Majesty. I apologize for the interruption."

"This is General How. He's the leader of The Council of Five, my highest-ranking generals," the Earth King said.

"We searched Long Feng's office. I think we found something that will interest everybody," General How said.

Everyone was brought to the library.

General How handed the Earth King a small chest. "There are secret files on everyone in Ba Sing Se. Including you kids."

Aang raised an eyebrow. "Secret files?"

The Earth King took a scroll from the chest and read the name on it."Toph Bei Fong."

Not being able to read, Toph handed the scroll to Katara.

"It's a letter from your mom. Your mom's here in the city, and she wants to see you," Katara said.

"Long Feng intercepted our letters from home? That's just sad," Toph said.

**"**Aang," the Earth King said, handing him a scroll.

Aang unrolled it, and smiled, surprised. "It's from a guru in the lower ring of the city. He wants to take me to the Eastern Air Temple, and teach me to control the Avatar State."

Katara looked at the Earth King, a glint of hope in her eyes. "Is there a letter for me and Sokka by any chance?"

The Earth King checked inside of the chest. There was one more scroll, but it wasn't addressed to the either of the Water Tribe members. "I'm afraid not."

Sokka sighed, crestfallen. "Oh."

"But there _is_ an intelligence report that might interest both of you," General How said, giving them a scroll.

"A small fleet of Water Tribe ships…" Katara said, as she started reading the message.

"What? That could be Dad!" Sokka said, excited.

Katara smiled. "Protecting the mouth of Chameleon Bay, led by Hakoda. It is Dad!"

The Earth King took the final scroll out of the chest. "Cheng Xin."

She perked up with interest. Who would have sent her a letter? She took the scroll and opened it. She gasped. "It's…from my village." Her eyes slowly scanned over the letter before they widened and teared. Cheng Xin remained silent as a grim expression spread across her face.

Aang noticed her changed demeanor and looked at her worriedly. "Cheng?"

Not replying, she dropped the scroll and ran out of the room.

Katara frowned and ran after her. "Cheng Xin, wait, what's wrong?"

"What did she get so upset about?" Sokka said.

Aang picked up the scroll and read it. "Dear Cheng Xin, our village was attacked by Fire Nation soldiers. We've done our best to fend them off, but we were outnumbered and overwhelmed. The Fire Nation is rounding up all the earthbenders and imprisoning us. Where, we don't know. Please do not worry, and know that we are proud of you. We wish you on your journey in marrying the Avatar. Love Grandma and Grandpa."

Everyone in the room shared a moment of silence. This was a very depressing tale. No wonder Cheng Xin got so upset.

"Hold on," Toph said. There was something else in the letter that caught her attention. "Did her grandparents just say that she's marrying you?"

"Marry me?" Aang blinked and reread the letter to make sure, but that was exactly what was written. He couldn't believe it. That was the whole reason why Cheng Xin joined them?


	15. Crossroads of Destiny: Part One

Chapter Shi Wu- Crossroads of Destiny: Part One

The gang sat in another section of the library. After some convincing, Katara was able to bring Cheng Xin to the others. The young airbender was still in shock. Her face was tear stained, and her eyes were red and puffy. Her grandparents had been captured. What was she going to do? She couldn't fathom the idea of them being gone forever. They were her only family.

Katara sat down next to Toph. Cheng Xin remained standing, her mind sidetracked.

"It's okay, Cheng. Everything is going to be alright," Katara said.

Cheng Xin slowly nodded and sat down. "I suppose."

Aang looked at her. "Um, Cheng, there's something I need to ask."

"What is it?" she said.

"Well…." He rubbed the back of his head nervously. "Why do your grandparents want you to marry me?"

Cheng Xin narrowed her eyes at him, not responding at first. "You read my letter?"

"We wanted to know why you were so upset," Aang said.

Cheng Xin stood up. "You had no right to read it."

"We're sorry, Cheng Xin. However, since it's all out in the open, can't you just tell us why?" Sokka said.

"Isn't it obvious?" Her tone was tense and defensive. "Aang and I are the last airbenders, and we conveniently happened to be boy and girl. After us, there'll be no more. My grandparents decided that the only way to preserve the airbenders was if Aang and I were married."

_Preserve the airbenders?_ Aang sighed. Duh. How could he be so stupid? Although he had found Cheng Xin, the evidence showed that there were no more airbenders. Her grandparents' reasoning made perfect sense. However, there was one flaw in the scheme. He didn't love her; he loved Katara.

"So that's why you joined the group?" Toph said.

Cheng Xin shook her head. "No. I agreed with my grandparents' wishes because I wanted to learn airbending and help in putting a stop to this war. I had no intention to marry anyone. And that's why I pretended to be a boy. I didn't want anyone to find out and try to force us together."

Aang wasn't sure how to comfort Cheng Xin. The situation was obviously troubling for her. He placed a hand on her shoulder. "Cheng, believe me when I say that I have no intentions of forcing you into something you don't want to do."

She frowned and snatched her scroll from his hand. "That's what you say now."

"No, I'm serious. I mean, I think of you as a sister at best, and I know I could not marry someone either if I held no feelings for them," he said. Cheng Xin sighed. Of course that's how he felt; they were still kids. She nodded, reluctantly.

"Yes, Aang. I believe you."

He smiled. "Good. Now I don't want you to worry about this anymore. And I'm sure when the time comes, you'll meet a guy that'll be absolutely crazy about you."

Cheng Xin nodded again, faking a smile. She sat back down and rested her head on her knees._Just wait until the war is over, and you watch all of the other nations progressing except for ours. You'll think differently,__ Aang;__ you all will._

"So what's the new plan now that we have the Earth King on our side?" Jet said.

Katara looked at all the scrolls and thought about the information everyone uncovered. "I hate to say it, but…we have to split up."

"Split up? We just found Appa and Cheng Xin, and got the family back together. Now you want us to separate," Aang said.

"You have to meet this Guru, Aang. If we're gonna invade the Fire Nation, you need to be ready," she said.

Aang understood and nodded. "Well, if I'm going to the Eastern Air Temple, Appa and I can drop you at Chameleon Bay to see your dad."

Sokka reread the report about their father. "Someone has to stay here with the Earth King and help him plan for the invasion."

Jet stood up. "I'll do it."

"Me too," Cheng Xin said as she stared at her feet. She was still distracted by the news about her grandparents. "It's not like I have anything else to do."

A gloomy expression spread on Sokka's face. "I guess I'll stay, too."

"No, Sokka, I know how badly you want to help dad. You go to Chameleon Bay, I'll stay here with the king," Katara said.

Smiling giddily, Sokka rushed over to Katara and hugged her. "You are…the nicest… sister…ever."

She laughed at his excited gesture and gently pushed him off of herself. "Easy there, big brother." She grinned. "Though you're right, I am." Despite Katara's generous offer, she wanted to see their dad too. But she knew she had to stay. Although she trusted Cheng Xin's capabilities, she didn't want to leave her alone with Jet. She still didn't trust him one hundred percent yet.

"And I'll go see my mom. From her letter it sounds like she finally understands me," Toph said.

Aang folded his arms. "Then it's settled. Tomorrow morning we'll set out."

……….

It was the next day and thegang was preparing to go their separate ways. They were outside of the palace saying their goodbyes.

Aang watched Katara load a few items onto Appa. Helping Cheng Xin deal with her grandparents' request reminded him of his own conflicts with love. He truly did love Katara. From the first time he met her in the South Pole, he was hooked. But it was still uncertain if the feelings were mutual. He hoped they were. And the only way to find out was by telling her. Right now they were alone; it was the perfect moment.

He approached her. "Katara, I need to tell you something." Blushing, he put a hand behind his head and looked down at the ground. "I've been wanting to say it for a long time."

Katara smiled at him. "What is it, Aang?"

His blushed deepened. "Katara, I…."

Suddenly Sokka appeared behind Aang and wrapped him in a headlock. "Alright! Who's ready to get going on our little men-only man trip?"

Aang sighed at the interruption; he was never going to get a chance to tell her.

The Earth King walked over to the group. "Aang and Sokka, I wish you good journey. Ba Sing Se owes you its thanks, and we look forward to your safe return."

"Your Majesty. There are three female warriors here to see you; they're from the island of Kyoshi," a guard said.

Sokka, who was climbing into Appa's saddle, slipped off onto the ground, screaming, "That's Suki!"

"You know these warriors?" The Earth King said.

"Oh yeah." Sokka nodded. "The Kyoshi warriors are a skilled group of fighters, trustworthy too. They're good friends of ours."

The Earth King smiled, pleased. "Then we shall welcome them as honored guests."

Cheng Xin was leaning against Appa, keeping silent. Her mood was too depressed to join in the farewells, but a sense of relief washed over her at the news. _I guess Suki did make it out okay. _

Katara noticed Aang climbing onto Appa. "Wait, Aang." He paused and turned to face her. She immediately threw her arms around him and kissed his cheek. "Good luck."

Aang's face went completely red, and he smiled to himself. _Someday…._

"I'm really gonna miss you guys," Toph said. Even though she was only visiting her mom, she realized that she might have to return home. It seemed so unreal that her journey with her new friends might be over already.

"Me too," Katara said.

"Yeah." Aang embraced Toph in a hug.

Katara and Cheng Xin followed suit. Sokka folded his arms, and looked away feeling slightly put out. But within seconds the group included him in their hug.

"Great! That's enough!" Sokka blushed, feeling awkward and wanting the embrace to end. "Ok, we love each other. Seriously."

……….

Aang and Sokka left for Chameleon Bay and the Eastern Air Temple. Toph left to find her mother in the upper ring, and Katara and Jet went to meet with the Council of Five. Cheng Xin stayed behind to help the Earth King.

At the entrance of the palace, two groups of soldiers lined the stairs. Three figures walked between them. They were the Kyoshi warriors. Waiting at the top of the stairs was the Earth King.

He stood with a wide smile on his face. "In our hour of need, it is with the highest honor that I welcome our esteemed allies, the Kyoshi warriors."

The warriors respectfully bowed on hands and knees. They raised their heads to meettheir King's gaze.

The leader of the three looked ahead with a calm expression. "We are the Earth King's humble servants."

……….

Cheng Xin waited alone in the room that was given to her. She was standing in front of the mirror, brushing her hair. Cheng Xin examined herself. Her hair had grown, and now reached past her shoulders. So much had happened in such little time. She had had many exciting experiences, and was much stronger than when she started out. But one thing still hadn't changed: her betrothal to Aang. She knew she didn't want to, and she knew he felt the same. And yet, if she didn't carry out her grandparents' wishes, how could she ever look them in the eye again?

This was how she was raised. If not Aang, then her grandparents would have surely forced her into marrying someone else. And even though everyone could disagree to it now, what would happen once they grew up? If Aang managed to defeat the Fire Lord, everyone would be focused on doing their part in restoring the world to its former glory. Hers was to marry the Avatar, the only other airbender besides herself, and replenish their fallen nation. Cheng Xin closed her eyes. Her heart ached at the idea of going through with , after she learned more and more about the airbenders and their culture, how could she turn her back on it all? Could she really allow an entire world to fade from existence for her own personal desires? Despite Aang's words and her wishes, the fact still stood that this wasn't about them. This was about the Air Nomads.

"All right, grandfather, you win." Cheng Xin sighed. "When the time comes, I'll marry Aang…." She gripped her brush tightly, her mind drowned with frustration. Her eyes glued to the reflection in the mirror, she glared at herself. Although she would fight this arrangement as much as she could now, if the request came in the future she would swallow her pride and accept it. "…But I will not love him."

……….

The Earth King sat in the throne room with the Kyoshi warriors in front of him. These ladies were good news for him. While the Avatar was away, they would serve as great protection. With this war so new to him, they needed all the help they could get.

His pet bear sat by his side, and he stroked its head lovingly. "Look, Bosco, the Kyoshi warriors are here to protect us. Aren't you excited?" The Earth turned his attention to the girls. "It's been a difficult week for me. My most trusted advisor, Long Feng, and his Dai Li agents tried to take control of Ba Sing Se from me. But luckily the Avatar was there to help. Those traitors were placed in the palace dungeon where they belong."

"It's terrible when you can't trust the people who are closest to you," the lead warrior said.

The Earth King smiled. "But there is good news. As we speak, the Council of Five is meeting to plan an invasion of the Fire Nation this summer. On the day of a solar eclipse."

A sign of emotion reflected in the lead warrior's eyes for a mere second, but she kept her calm composure. They had done their homework. "My, that sounds like a fascinating and brilliant plan."

A servant entered the throne room and requested the Earth King's attention. The Kyoshi warriors were left alone in the throne room.

_It's a shame their King is so careless._ The lead warrior smirked to herself. In a matter of minutes, she received all the information she required to bring this great city down on its knees.

……….

Cheng Xin made her way to the throne room. She hadn't seen Suki or the rest of the Kyoshi warriors since she was traveling to Ba Sing Se with Appa. Hopefully the small reunion could take her mind off of things.

Entering the room, she spotted three of the warriors. Smiling, Cheng Xin ran over to them. "Long time no see. I'm glad you guys are okay."

The lead warrior turned around and stood. "Never been better."

Pausing in her tracks, Cheng Xin gasped. The clothes and the make-up were accurate, but that voice…and those eyes. No, it couldn't be. Azula? Here? Then that battle…. It was the only explanation. Cheng Xin backed away from them. "No."

She reached for her fans, but Ty Lee flipped over and struck both of her arms. With a final blow, Ty Lee punched Cheng Xin in her side. Cheng Xin fell to the floor, her fans lying beside her.

Azula towered over her, a smirk spread wide on her face. "Nice of you to join us. Now, what to do with you?"

……….

Following Azula's orders, Mai and Ty Lee went poking around the palace dungeon.

Mai groaned, bored. This mission was starting off way too slow. "I'm tired of wearing this girly disguise." She frowned as she tugged at the armor. "I don't know how anyone can fight in this."

Ty Lee laughed as they turned down a hall. "Maybe that's why it was so easy to beat the Kyoshi warriors and take their clothes."

"And how long will we have to serve the Earth King? If I get stuck taking care of that bear…."

"Princess Azula promised we would go back to the Fire Nation as soon as we captured the Avatar." Ty Lee twirled a ring of keys in her hand. "We just have to be patient."

Mai lightly smacked Ty lee's hand, making her drop the keys next to a cell door. "Shush up! Do you want the whole palace to know we're Fire Nation?"

"Sorry," Ty Lee said. "Let's get out of here. This place is starting to creep me out."

The two of them ran out of the hall. Unfortunately they left the keys behind, and in that particular cell was Long Feng.

_The Fire Nation Princess has infiltrated the city? I knew they were helpless without me._ Long Feng smirked when he spotted the keys just outside his cell door. He pulled out a pair of rock gloves that he'd hidden in his robes. "I believe it's time to take matters into my own hands."

……….

Cheng Xin was tied in ropes and locked in the room that was given to the Kyoshi warriors. She cried to herself as she struggled to get out of her bindings. Azula, the Princess of the Fire Nation, was right here in Ba Sing Se, and Aang and the others were already long gone. This couldn't be happening. All Cheng Xin knew was that she had to escape, and warn the Earth King. Unfortunately, luck wasn't on her side.

A few hours passed, and from what Cheng Xin could tell, it was nighttime. She heard the door slide open, and Azula entered the room. She was still dressed as a Kyoshi warrior, but she was no longer wearing makeup.

She glanced down at Cheng Xin. "Excellent, you're still here."

Cheng Xin simply glared at her. What was she planning?

"I bet you're wondering why I've kept you alive." She scoffed. "Not that it matters. The Avatar was foolish to leave his weakest ally alone to defend this pathetic city."

"What do you want from me?" Cheng Xin said.

Azula grinned and strode over to the window. "Using those Kyoshi warriors' identities as a cover, I have created the perfect opportunity to conquer the entire Earth Kingdom. However, I cannot do it alone."

Cheng Xin snorted. "Too bad for you."

Narrowing her eyes at the outburst, Azula turned around. "Indeed." She grinned. "For a hundred years, the Fire Nation has hammered away at Ba Sing Se from the outside, but now I'm on the inside…." Azula walked over to Cheng Xin and met her face. "…And you're on the _inside_. The Avatar would never expect one of his friends to turn against him."

Cheng Xin's eyes widened. How dare she! She wished she could undo the ropes, because she'd rip the smirk right off of her face. "I'll never join you! I'll never turn against my friends!"

"Such loyalty. But to whom is it stronger?" Azula's eyes flickered with amusement as she watched Cheng Xin's baffled expression.

Cheng Xin looked at her uneasily. "What are you getting at?"

Azula stared down at Cheng Xin with a challenging expression. "How far would you go to protect the Avatar? Would you even sacrifice the only family you have left?"

She gasped and bit her lip. Cheng Xin wouldn't let herself believe Azula. She was trust trying to bait her. "Say whatever you want. I'm not helping you kill Aang!"

"I wonder…" Azula said.

Cheng Xin furrowed her brow. "Wonder what?"

Azula pulled a scroll from her sleeve and opened it. "It would be a shame if your grandparents perished because of your selfishness."

_My letter!_ Cheng Xin growled as she tried to stand up. "You thief, give that back!"

Ignoring her, Azula continued to scan the scroll. "And a marriage." She grinned as she incinerated the scroll in her hand. "You're wasting your time if you think you're going to preserve the Air Nomad race."

"No, don't you dare! Don't hurt my grandparents!" Cheng Xin said.

Azula stood over her. "Really? I thought you only cared about the Avatar. You are betrothed to him, are you not?"

Cheng Xin shook her head, frustrated. None of this was any of her business. "I'm not marrying him! But he is my friend."

"Pathetic." Azula smirked. "You're lying to yourself. Why do you protect someone who doesn't even care about you?"

She stared the Princess in the eye, her gaze full of hatred. "That's not true. Aang and the others do care about me."

Azula narrowed her eyes. "Do they? Or is it what you've forced yourself to believe? The Avatar sees you as nothing more than a commodity. A tool to restore his precious people."

Cheng Xin looked away from her. It wasn't true. Aang didn't think of her that way. "You're lying."

"Am I? If you allow yourself to marry the Avatar, do you not believe this is how he would treat you? Could you truly be happy with someone who could not give their heart to you?"

Cheng Xin groaned again. She didn't want to admit it, but Azula was right. Aang loved Katara. He would never look at her in the same way, and she would never force him to. She didn't even want him.

Smirking, Azula continued, "Of course, I could be wrong. After all, if your grandparents were dead there would be nothing compelling you to marry the Avatar anymore."

Billions of emotions swam through her eyes, and Cheng Xin quickly turned away. She remained silent, keeping her gaze focused on the floor.

Azula headed for the door. "I'll leave you to your thoughts." She stopped in the doorway and glanced over her shoulder. "But keep in mind. What's more important? The life of your family or the life of someone who barely even knows you? The choice is all yours."

Without another word, Azula slid out of the room, leaving Cheng Xin to cry in the shadows.

……….

"Bring me the Kyoshi warriors," Long Feng said.

With the conveniently placed set of keys, Long Feng had freed himself from his cell and released his Dai Li agents.

The agents bowed and went to fetch what he requested. A few moments later, Azula, Mai and Ty Lee were being dragged to Long Feng's cell.

Azula struggled as the Dai Li agents held her down. "What is this about? Your agents show up in the middle of the night and drag us down here? You will not treat the Kyoshi warriors this way!"

Long Feng grinned confidently. "But you are not a Kyoshi warrior, are you? Princess Azula of the Fire Nation!"

Gasping, Azula ceased her struggle and looked up. "What do you want?"

"I want to make a deal. It's time that I regain control of Ba Sing Se. And you have something I need," Long Feng said.

His words caught Azula's interest, and she smiled. "Oh?"

"The Earth King's trust."

"Why should I help you?" Azula said.

Long Feng smirked. "Because I can get _you_ the Avatar."

_All the pieces are falling together excellently._ Azula shared his smirk. The Earth Kingdom was run by nothing but gullible fools. The Dai Li agents were as good as hers. "I'm listening."

……….

That morning Jet and Katara were returning from their meeting, and were walking through the upper ring of the city.

"The audience with the Generals went well," Jet said.

She nodded and petted Momo, who was resting on her shoulder. "Yes. I'm glad that this war is finally going in our favor again. Traveling through the Earth Kingdom to get to this point hasn't been the easiest journey."

Jet smiled. "As long as I can deal a painful blow to the Fire Nation, I'm satisfied."

"Listen, Jet. I must admit that I've been very doubtful in having you join us, but I'm happy to see that you've found your way," Katara said.

He sighed. "Yes, I was a troubled person, and I let the anger from my past get out of control. But no more. Now, I fight for _and_ protect my nation."

Katara smiled. Looking ahead, she spotted a new teashop that had been placed in the upper ring. "Why don't we go celebrate with a nice cup of tea?"

Jet nodded, agreeing. They headed for the teashop and were greeted by a hostess.

"Welcome to the Jasmine Dragon. How many?"

"Three seats, please," Katara said.

_"Uncle, I need two jasmine,__ one green and one lychee!"_

Katara turned around. She knew that voice.

Jet noticed her unnerved expression. "Something wrong?'

She followed the sound of the voice to the kitchens. There were two figures standing there, and Katara recognized them instantly. It was Zuko and his uncle. They were in the city. The Fire Nation was in Ba Sing Se!

"Katara?' Jet said.

She grabbed him by the hand, and dashed out of the shop. "Come on!"

Confused, Jet stopped running once they were outside. Why was Katara panicking all of a sudden? "Katara, what's going on?"

"It's Zuko, the Prince of the Fire Nation, he was in the shop just now. The Fire Nation is infiltrating the city!"

Jet's eyes widened as his expression twisted with anger. He pulled out his hooked swords. "Then let's go after them."

Katara pulled him back. "No, we have to get help. We need to warn the Earth King first."

The two of them rushed to the palace as quick as they could. When they reached the throne room they found Cheng Xin sitting alone on the throne steps.

"Thanks goodness you're alright, Cheng," Katara said.

Cheng Xin didn't acknowledge her.

She walked over to Cheng Xin, urgency filling her voice. "We have to find the Earth King and Suki. Ba Sing Se is being invaded. I just saw Zuko and his uncle."

Sluggishly turning in their direction, Cheng Xin fixed her eyes to the floor. "I know."

Katara blinked. "What?"

Bringing herself to her feet, Cheng Xin brought out her fans and held a defensive stance. Without warning, she blasted a gust of air that sent Katara and Jet crashing against the wall behind them.

Cheng Xin approached them as they slowly stood up. Katara looked at her, confused. What was she doing? Why was she attacking them? What was going on? Long Feng was arrested; there wasno way she could be under a trance.

Raising her right fan, Cheng Xin shot a blade of air straight at Katara, who quickly bended a stream of water from her pouch, blocking the attack.

"Cheng, what are you doing?" Katara said.

"I'm protecting the ones I love." Cheng Xin charged at them, her fans behind her.

Jet pulled out his hooked swords. "Isn't it obvious, Katara? The little traitor is siding with the Fire Nation."

He swiped at Cheng Xin's legs with his left sword. Catching the action in time, she flipped over him and elbowed him in his back. Jet quickly turned around and sliced his right sword at her head. Before it made contact, Cheng Xin blew a gust of air from her mouth, knocking him back.

Katara just stood there,baffled, as Jet and Cheng Xin continued their battle. She didn't understand; she didn't know what to do. Why was Cheng Xin acting like this? What did she mean, she was protecting the ones she loved? They were her friends.

"Jet, stop fighting her!" Katara ran in between them. "Something doesn't seem right about this!"

Cheng Xin laughed. "If you think I'm in a trance, you're wrong. I know exactly what I'm doing." She flicked her fan and blew Katara out of the way.

Jet growled. "So you admit your treachery then! Then you can die along with the rest of the Fire Nation!" He threw one of his swords at Cheng Xin despite Katara's pleas to stop.

Cheng Xin could only deflect the attack. With her fans out, she ran in a circle creating a whirlwind. The sword caught in the current and redirected at Jet. The action was so fast Jet didn't have time to dodge, and was impaled with his own weapon. He hit the floor with a loud thud as he groaned in pain.

Katara couldn't believe it. Cheng Xin struck Jet down, and was she…was she smiling? What was wrong with her?

"Why?" Katara said.

Cheng Xin shrugged. "I already told you." She approached Katara, her fans ready.

"I don't want to do this, Cheng." Katara bended some water from her pouch. She needed to get to Jet so she could heal him, but she couldn't do without dealing with Cheng Xin first. "But if you don't stop, I'll attack."

"Do it," Cheng Xin said.

Katara whipped the water around herself, but before she could strike, she felt two fists punch her back. Her body went numb and she collapsed on the floor. The water that was left in her pouch pooled out around her, creating a large puddle.

"I thought I heard noises."

Katara's eyes widened. _No._

"Good work, Cheng Xin," Azula said.

Cheng Xin bowed. "Of course, Princess."

Katara stared at Cheng Xin with disbelief. She was working with Azula? With the Fire Nation!

"I believe you should know that Zuko and Iroh are in Ba Sing Se," Cheng Xin said, as she stood beside them.

Azula smirked. _Really?_ She couldn't ask for a more perfect situation. "So, Zuzu's in the city too. I think it's time for a family reunion."

……….

How did this happen? They'd found out about the solar eclipse. They were able to get the Earth King on their side for the war. Now, right under their noses, the Dai Li had been set free, the Fire Nation was inside the city, and Cheng Xin betrayed them. But why? Why would she do it?

Katara wrapped her arms around herself. The Dai Li locked her and Jet underground. They sat alone in an earthy prison filled with green crystals. Oh, what she wouldn't give to be an earthbender right now. What were they going to do? Aang and the others were gone, and by the time they'd return it would be too late.

"Katara…."

She turned. Jet was finally coming to. Katara sighed, feeling helpless. The blow Cheng Xin dealt him was severe, and she could see the wound seeping through his clothes. Without any water, she couldn't heal him, and if something wasn't done soon he'd surely….

Katara crawled over to him. "How are you feeling?"

He coughed. "I've been better." Jet sat up and screamed from the pain in his stomach.

"Lay back down. You're hurt," Katara said.

Reluctant, he remained on the ground. He groaned, annoyed. "I'm not going to make it, am I?"

She wasn't sure what to say. The answer was obvious, but she didn't want to acknowledge it.

"Figures. Even now when I try to change, everything still fails." Jet scoffed at his own words. "I thought if I left the Freedom Fighters and went for a second chance, things would be different."

"Jet, everything's going to be fine. Don't worry," Katara said, giving him a small smile.

He sighed. "No, it isn't. I can see it in your eyes."

A tear rolled down her cheek. "Jet…I…."

"It's okay, Katara," Jet said. "This isn't your fault, it's the Fire Nation's."

_And Cheng Xin's._ More tears swelled in Katara's eyes. "No, this isn't fair. You don't deserve this." She held back a sob. "If it means anything, I forgive you."

He smiled. "I know." His breathing became shallow. "Steal this city back for me."

Katara gasped when he suddenly closed his eyes. "Jet?" She put a hand to his chest. He wasn't breathing, and she couldn't feel a pulse. Katara couldn't hold it in any more, and she burst into tears.

She buried her face in her hands, and silently cried over Jet's body. She would uphold his wish. They were going to fight for the Earth Kingdom's freedom. But how? She was trapped in the cell. Her only hope was if the others returned in enough time.

"Aang, please come back soon. We need you. I need you."


	16. Crossroads of Destiny: Part Two

Chapter Shi Liu-Crossroads of Destiny: Part Two

Aang's eyes remained glued to the distant horizon as he soared through the sky on Appa. The only thing he could focus on was the vision that continued to echo through his mind. Just as he was about to finish his training with the Guru, he had a vision of Katara. He couldn't tell what was happening, but he knew she was in trouble. But the question was, what did happen? And if she was in trouble, were Cheng Xin and Jet too? He had to find out. But first…he had to retrieve Sokka.

….

Boredom. The waiting was tedious. Cheng Xin tossed the small vile of spirit water in her hand as she sat with Mai and Ty Lee in their room. As ordered, she disarmed Katara before the Dai Li threw her into the crystal catacombs beneath the palace. Cheng Xin kept to the corner she was sitting in and sighed. She wasn't sure how much longer she could take pretending to be Azula's obedient servant. She played along with everything the Princess wanted, but the reality was…Ba Sing Se was in big trouble. And with Aang and the others gone, there would be no hope.

Mai and Ty Lee were talking amongst themselves when Ty Lee walked over to Cheng Xin. She looked down at the young airbender with a smile on her face. "So, what was your name again?"

Cheng Xin didn't respond. As far as she was concerned, these girls were the enemy. But…she still had to play along. Keeping her face blank, she said, "Cheng Xin."

Mai glanced up and twirled the knife she had back into her wrist holder. She rolled her eyes. Ty Lee was way too cheerful and friendly sometimes. She didn't know the whole story of why Cheng Xin was with them. But then again, throughout the course of their childhood together, Mai never fully understood what went on in Azula's mind. However, this little girl, this airbender, who she heard with her own ears plead loyalty to the Avatar, was betraying her own kind. There wasn't much to think of her.

"So why are you helping us?" Ty Lee said.

"Why do you think?" Cheng Xin frowned bitterly. She couldn't take much more of this, but what could she do? Her grandparents' lives were at stake, not to mention her whole village. Sure she didn't really get along with anyone else there, but it was still her home.

Mai groaned. "Forget it, Ty Lee. The girl obviously doesn't want to be bothered."

She gave her friend a sheepish smile as she walked over to the dresser. "I was just trying to be nice." Ty Lee reapplied her kyoshi warrior make up to her face. "It's not my fault I'm the only one in this room that isn't anti social."

….

The silence. It was so torturing. Katara sat on the ground, her arms wrapped around her legs as she rested her head on her knees. How long was she going to be there? Was Aang going to come? Or would he be too late? She hoped not. But he didn't even know that they were in trouble, and there was no one here to fend off Azula. She glanced over at the corner of the room where Jet's body lay. She was sad that he was gone, but being trapped alone in a room with a corpse was starting to creep her out.

She sighed. "Aang, where are you?"

….

Aang found Sokka and luckily they ran into to Toph, who was on her way back to Ba Sing Se. Now the three of them were returning to the city together. Sokka was a little disappointed because he had to leave his dad, but Katara was in trouble. He had to save her. Toph informed the others that her mother's letter was actually a trick. Her father sent to servants to capture her and bring her back home. However, in the long run, it was all for the better. While the servants had her encased in a metal cage, she was able to use her earthbending to break out. She created the skill known as metalbending. However, there was no time to celebrate the achievement.

"So, what kind of trouble is Katara in? What about Cheng Xin and Jet? Were they there too?" Sokka said.

Aang shook his head. To be honest, he wasn't really sure who was the cause behind it. He only saw a brief glimpse of Katara. "I don't know. In my vision, I just knew she needed help. Cheng Xin and Jet weren't there. I just hope they're all okay."

Sokka frowned. "It would be nice if your Avatar powers could be just a little more specific from time to time."

**"**So how did it go with the Guru? Did you master the Avatar State?" Toph said.

Aang hesitated to answer. He managed to finish most of his training with the Guru, but it was when he was completing his last chakra that he had the vision. He panicked and ran off before he could finish. However, when he did, the Guru warned him that because he didn't complete his training he wouldn't go into the avatar state at all**.**

Noticing his dazed state, Sokka put a hand on Aang's shoulder. "Are you okay?"

"Uh...I'm great. It went great with the Guru." Aang smiled sheepishly. "I completely mastered the avatar state." He looked away from them. "Heh heh…heh. Yeah."

When they reached Ba Sing Se, they headed into the upper district where their house was. Unfortunately when they went inside, they only found Momo. The flying lemur landed on Aang's shoulder. Aang, Sokka, and Toph looked around in the dead silence.

Toph felt for any other vibrations in the house, but she didn't get anything. "There's no one else here."

"But Suki was supposed to have come too. Does that mean that everyone's been captured?" Sokka said.

Before anyone could think of what to do next, Toph turned around and said, **"**Wait, someone's at the door." Seconds later, the three of them heard someone knocking. Toph smiled. "And I know who it is. It's an old friend of mine._" _

Aang and Sokka raised an eyebrow. Who did Toph know that was in Ba Sing Se? Their question was answered as she opened the door to reveal Iroh.

"Glad to see you're okay," Toph said.

Iroh looked at the three of them, a worried expression on his face. "I need your help."

….

Cheng Xin paced back and forth as she waited by the secret entrance to the crystal catacombs. She heard footsteps and turned to see the Dai Li with a new captive.

Her eyes widened. "Zuko?"

Hearing his name, Zuko looked up. It was the airbender girl.

One of the agents bended the door to the catacombs open, and the others threw Zuko inside.

The first agent turned toward Cheng Xin. "Princess Azula wants you to guard the prisoner."

She nodded. "Fine."

Cheng Xin slid down into the cave, and the Dai Li closed the entrance behind her. She scanned the area. The whole cave was full of green crystals, and from what she could tell so far, there was no way out. Sighing, Cheng Xin leaned against one of the tall crystals.

She glanced at Zuko. What was he doing here? He was Prince of the Fire Nation; why would he be imprisoned by his sister? It was then a thought occurred to her.

_"I know you may feel wary of us, but trust me. We are not here to cause harm to anyone. My nephew and I just want to live in Ba Sing Se in peace."_

When Zuko and his uncle…Iroh…she believed, helped Appa and her out of Lake Laogai, Iroh did mention that they wanted to live in Ba Sing Se. She never gave Iroh's words much thought until now. Did Zuko and Iroh betray their nation? Was that why Zuko was captured?

"What are you doing here?" Cheng Xin said.

Zuko sat on the ground, unsure of how to respond. This was the same girl he helped escape, but, in a way, he still felt like she was the enemy. And if his sister was here, why was the airbender girl running about in the open? Wouldn't she have been captured too? Instead, the Dai Li agents said Azula ordered her to guard him.

He looked at Cheng Xin. "I could ask you the same thing."

Cheng Xin raised an eyebrow. "And why would you do that?"

"Probably because Azula is here, and you're supposed to guard me," Zuko said.

She glanced at him, her facial expression unreadable. "Well that's because I'm working for your sister." Cheng Xin turned away from him, ashamed by her words. _Even though…I might as well be a prisoner._

Zuko eyes narrowed. He was slightly shocked, yet he didn't show it. Why would she be working for Azula? "But you're with the Avatar."

Cheng Xin shrugged. "Maybe I am. Maybe I'm not. What's it to you? You're Fire Nation."

Zuko scoffed and turned his back to her. Yeah, he was Fire Nation, but he'd changed. Over the last few days, since he saw Cheng Xin, he started to take his uncle's advice. His destiny was his own to choose. "Do what you want. But just so you know, my sister is a great liar. Whatever she tells you isn't true."

Cheng Xin absentmindedly held her burned wrist as she remembered the threat Azula gave her. "Well…she's not lying this time."

_Huh?_ Zuko looked at her from the corner of his good eye, confused. "What did she tell you?"

"I told you, it's none of your business." She furrowed her brow. "And why do you even care?"

Zuko opened his mouth to speak, but he hesitated and changed his mind. Sighing, he slowly nodded, agreeing with her. "You're right. I don't care." He turned around. "However…you _are_ what's standing in my way from escaping."

She scoffed. "Then hit me with some fire and get it over with. It's not like you haven't beaten me in a fight before."

Now Zuko was really confused. First the airbender said she's working for his sister, and next she says that she doesn't care if he escapes? What was going on?

"But then of course, letting you go isn't going to help Ba Sing Se." Cheng Xin glared at him. "For all I know, this could just be some trap that you and Azula conjured up." Her gaze softened slightly. "Still…I am in debt to you for helping Appa and I."

Zuko frowned. That wasn't the answer he was expecting, but it made sense. She probably still saw him as the enemy too. "Yeah, well…maybe you don't have to be in debt to me."

"What?" she said.

He paused. "…Maybe we could help each other."

"Help?" Cheng Xin eyed him like he had a possum-rat crawling out of his ear. _Why is he acting so nice all of a sudden?_

Even in Lake Laogai, Zuko was still angry and very reluctant to cooperate with her. Now he…. Cheng Xin wasn't sure how to pin point what it was. Zuko just seemed different. Before anything else could be said, she knew she had to ask.

Cheng Xin bit her lip. "No offense, Zuko, but why are you being so…nice?"

He was taken back by her question, but decided to answer. "Because I've changed." Zuko stood up. "Look, there really isn't much time for me to explain. I'm sure you want to go back to your friends."

"And if I let you go, what will you do? Go back to Azula?" Cheng Xin said.

"I might." Zuko looked away from her. _But not for the reason you think._

"Hmph." She kept her eyes on him as walked along the cavern walls, her hand dragging along the rough texture of the rocks. "I may be helpless to stop Azula, but I won't let you put Ba Sing Se in any more danger."

As Cheng Xin took another step, she suddenly lost her balance. Quickly stabling herself, she turned to see what caused her small trip. The wall had ended, and there was an opening leading somewhere. No doubt, it was to another part of the catacombs. An idea formed in her mind.

"So, you say you've changed?" She looked at him. "What do you mean by that?"

Zuko sighed. It was obvious that no matter what he said, the airbender wouldn't trust him. "I…." He paused trying to find the words, and pointed at his face. "You see this scar?"

She nodded.

"This is whole reason why I am the way I am now. This scar marked me. The banished prince, cursed to chase the Avatar forever. But…lately…I've realized I'm free to determine my own destiny." Zuko approached her. "I'm just asking for a chance."

Cheng Xin stared him in the eye as she searched for any trace of a lie. She didn't want to trust him, but right now she wasn't in any position to judge. Her loyalty has already been tainted and screwed up. Katara probably hated her now because she attacked her and Jet.

"If you really want to make a change, then go." Cheng Xin handed him a pouch and a small vile. It was Katara's bending water, and the vile Master Pakku gave her from the spirit oasis. "There's a tunnel over here. I'm not sure where it leads, but I'm sure you'll find a way to escape. Katara was captured too and is in one of the catacombs. Find it and give these to her."

Zuko looked at her, surprised. "What? You're letting me out?"

She backed away from him. "Perhaps, but there's one problem. If I let you leave, then Azula will know that I'm betraying her. And if that happens…." Cheng Xin placed her hands on her fans. "She'll have my family killed." In one swift motion, she took a defensive stance, her fans ready to strike. "So I have no choice."

_That explains a lot._ Zuko thought about what to do.

Azula managed to sway her against her friends. He looked at the pouch and vile she gave him. So…the waterbending peas…Katara…was captured? Well, he said he wanted to help. He'd find her so they could escape, and he could reunite with his uncle. Then he'd deal with Azula. Zuko placed the items in his pocket and held his fists out.

"You do realize that I don't want to hurt you?" Zuko said.

Cheng Xin narrowed her eyes. "Then let's just make this believable, shall we?"

….

Aang and Sokka were surprised to see Iroh there, not to mention that he wanted them to work together. However, Katara was in danger, and none of them knew what was going on. Iroh told them that Azula was here, and he brought one of the Dai Lie agents with him as a hostage. The agent informed them of Azula's plans and where Zuko and Katara were being held. Aang thought it was strange that the agent didn't mention Cheng Xin or Jet. Were they captured to? Or were they away during the attack? The only way for any of them to know was to enter the palace and find out. The group decided to split up. Sokka and Toph headed to the palace to warn the Earth King while Aang and Iroh went underground to the catacombs.

Sokka and Toph entered the throne room expecting a fight, but all they found were a few of the Kyoshi warriors and the Earth King.

"Thank goodness, we're in time!" Sokka said, relieved.

The Earth King raised an eyebrow. "In time for what?"

One of the warriors flipped over to Sokka.**"**Yeah, what are you in time for…." She gave him a big smile as she got in his face. _"_Cutie."

Sokka was taken back, slightly bashful. "Uh, I'm kinda involved with Suki."

Toph, on the other hand, wasn't fooled. Something didn't feel right about the warriors when they stepped in the room, but when the girl talked she was more than sure. Raising her fists, Toph raised the floor underneath the impostor. The girl flipped out of the way, dodging the attack.

"They're not the real Kyoshi Warriors!" Toph said.

The Earth King and Sokka gasped, although Sokka was more surprised. If these weren't the real warriors, then what happened to Suki? And now that he got a better look at these two warriors, he now realized who they were. It was Mai and Ty Lee.

Mai stood up, her hands aimed at them. "Sorry to disappoint you." She quickly threw a handful of daggers at Toph.

The young earthbender lifted up a small rock wall, blocking the attack. Taking the open shot, Toph kicked the wall at Mai, who jumped over it. Sokka went in to help Toph until Ty Lee stood in his way. She gave him another creepy smile, and continued her attack. Sokka knew what to expect, but it didn't make battling her any easier. Every time Ty Lee aimed at one of his limbs, he steadily moved it out of the way.

She laughed at his actions. "Oh, it's like we're dancing together."

"This fight… is over!"

The fighting group turned to see Azula holding an ignited finger at the Earth King neck. Not wanting him to be killed, Sokka and Toph surrendered. Right after they did, Ty Lee gave them a few fast punches, rendering them immobile. A group of Dai Li agents showed up and took them all way on Azula's command. Sokka groaned at the predicament they were in. They really blew it this time. Azula even managed to get control of the Dai Li, and now them, along with the Earth King, were getting locked up.

Azula watched them get taken away, pleased with her work. There were only a few loose ends left. One was the Avatar, the other her brother...while the last...decided to make their presence known that very second.

Long Feng entered the throne room, an army of Dai Li agents behind him. He stared at Azula with a smug smirk. "Now comes the part where I double-cross you. Dai Li, arrest the Fire Nation Princess." However, the agents didn't respond. Instead, they just kept their place in line. Long Feng narrowed his eyes and pointed at Azula._ "_I said, arrest her._" _Once again, the agents remained in their places. Long Feng gritted his teeth, getting frustrated. Why weren't they obeying him? "What is wrong with you?"

Azula just smirked to herself. She already knew why. Too bad this fool was too blind to see it. "It's because they haven't made up their minds. They're waiting to see how this is going to end."

He turned and looked at her. "What are you talking about?"

_Well...since he asked so nicely..._ Azula met Long Feng's gaze. "I can see your whole history in your eyes. You were born with nothing. So you had to struggle and connive and claw your way to power." She narrowed her eyes, her tone firm. "But true power…the divine right to rule…is something you're _born_ with. The fact is, they don't know which one of us is going to be sitting on that thrown and which one is going to be bowing down. But I know. And you know._" _She sat in the Earth King's throne and stared down at Long Feng, waiting for him to crack. "Well?"

_Such confidence._ Long Feng had dealt with a lot of people in his lifetime, but none of them were like this...this Princess. She was assertive, decisive, and down right terrifying. Every venomous word she said to him was true. She even stole his Dai Li agents right out from under him. Long approached the throne room and bowed. "You've beaten me at my own game.

Azula sneered at him. "Don't flatter yourself. You were never even a player." Mentally she grinned with happiness. The Earth Kingdom was hers. All was left now, was to deal with the Avatar himself so she could keep it that way.

….

Cheng Xin fell to the ground with a thud, scorch marks staining her clothes. She groaned as she held her side. There could have been a less painful way to deal with her situation, but at the moment she couldn't think of any. Zuko stood over her, slightly panting from their small fight. He had to admit, the airbender girl was much better since the very first time he fought her. But _only_ a little. Then again...this was a staged fight; she lost on purpose.

Rolling over onto her stomach, Cheng Xin pointed at the tunnel. "You're free to go."

Zuko nodded and headed toward the tunnel. He felt a hand on his ankle and stopped.

"And when you see her, apologize to Katara for me," Cheng Xin said.

"Sure." Zuko left Cheng Xin to heal while he tried to find a way out.

The tunnel was long and narrow, but it had to lead somewhere. He traveled for a ways lost in thought. He hoped his uncle was okay. Right now, he was all he had, and he couldn't bear something happening to him. Not after everything they'd been through together. Not after everything his uncle did for him. Suddenly he heard someone's voice echo through the tunnel. He brought up his fists, ready for a fight, but he recognized the voice. It was the Water Tribe girl.

He entered the small cavern and found Katara talking to the air. "Hello?"

Katara immediately turned around. But when she did all she could muster was a glare. It wasn't Aang, but Zuko. This could only mean trouble. "You!"

Zuko held up his hands in a surrendering way. "Wait. Don't attack me. I'm not here to hurt you."

She stood up and raised her hands. Katara paused, realizing that she no longer had her water with her. She mentally cursed herself. Of all the times to be disarmed. "What are you doing here?"

"To help," Zuko said.

_What?_ Katara narrowed her eyes at him. There was no way that was true. "Please. This is probably a trap. So when Aang shows up to rescue me, you can finally have him in your little Fire Nation clutches."

Zuko shook his head. "No, just listen..."

"Why should I? You're a terrible person! Always following us, hunting the Avatar, trying to capture the world's last hope for peace! But what do you care? You're the Fire Lord's son. Spreading war and violence and hatred is in your blood."

He frowned. Her hostility toward him was expected, but that didn't mean what she said hurt any less.

_There's no point in trying to reason with her._ Zuko sighed as he reached in his pocket. He saw Katara hold her hands up, but continued with his action, unnerved. Zuko pulled out her water pouch and vile. "You don't have to trust me. Just take this." He tossed it at her feet.

Katara examined the items he gave her, and she furrowed her brow, confused. These were her things. But how did Zuko get a hold of them? And why was he giving them to her? She looked at him suspiciously. "How did you..."

"The airbender girl...Cheng Xin, gave them to me. She wanted you to have them," Zuko said.

_Cheng Xin?_ Katara kicked her water pouch away. "Now I know this is a trick! What did she do? Put poison in my water so I pass out the minute I touch it!"

Zuko frowned. "Why would she do that?"

Katara simply pointed to the corner of the cavern. "Because she turned on us and killed our friend Jet!"

Zuko raised an eyebrow as he looked at the dead body. The airbender girl did that? However, he understood why it happened, but Katara was obviously unaware. "You don't know what you're talking about."

"I don't? How dare you!" A tear slid from Katara's eye. "You have no idea what this war has put me through! Me personally!" She covered her face with her hands as more tears spilled from her eyes. "The Fire Nation took my mother away from me!"

Katara didn't understand why she was so agitated, but this whole situation made her furious. First she learned that Ba Sing Se is being taken over by Azula, then Cheng Xin betrays her, then she's captured, Aang is nowhere to be found, and she had to watch Jet die right in front of her. And now...now she had to deal with the Prince of the Fire Nation! Katara bent down and picked up her vile of spirit water. She was relived that it was not a fake. She promised Master Pakku that she'd keep the vile and use it for an emergency. But that didn't excuse what was going on right now. Still, why would Cheng Xin want her to have these things?

Zuko remained silent after her outburst. It had taken him off guard, her mentioning her mother. He looked at her sympathetically. "I'm sorry. That's something we have in common."

Katara glanced up. "What?"

"When I was younger and still living in the Fire Nation, my mother was killed too. I still don't know why. She meant everything to me, but one night she just...disappeared," Zuko said.

"Why...?" Katara bit her lip. "Why are you sharing this with me?"

Zuko kept his eyes glued to the ground. "Because I'm not as bad as you think. I'm different from how I used to be. This person, you say you hated. This person who had no choice but to capture the Avatar if I wanted my life to go back to normal..." He shook his head. "I told you before, I'm here to help. Take it or leave it."

Katara stared at him for the longest time. Should she trust him? Her reasons not to; however, were fading out of her mind. He could have attacked her at any moment by now. She was disarmed and had no water source. But instead her gave her her stuff back and wanted to help her. And even at this moment, he still stood there, not doing anything to harm her.

She sighed. Maybe he _was_ telling the truth. "Oh. Forgive me then...for yelling at you."

Zuko shrugged. "It doesn't matter."

"No offense, but...it's just that for so long now, whenever I would imagine the face of the enemy, it was your face." Katara folded her arms. "Where's Cheng Xin?"

"She had to stay behind," Zuko said. "But she told to me to tell you that she was sorry."

_Sorry? _Katara frowned. "And why couldn't she tell me this to my face?"

Zuko was about to answer when the wall next to them caved in. They backed away, not wanting to get hit with debris. When the dust cleared, Katara and Zuko saw that it was Aang and Iroh. Katara smiled gleefully as she ran over to Aang and hugged him.

"Aang, I knew you would come," Katara said. Her smile widened as he returned the embrace. Now they could defend Ba Sing Se from the Fire Nation.

Unfortunately, not everything was turning in their favor. The minute Zuko saw Aang something inside of his mind snapped. He had felt different, more positive and calm, over the last few days ever since he got sick and recovered. But now...he felt..._normal _again. Like a smoldered ember, his light went out and he was emerged back into the dark. All the words he just spoke to Katara and Cheng Xin meant absolutely nothing. Zuko glared at Aang, his old instincts kicking in. He wanted nothing more than to attack him. But a thought occurred to him.

He looked at Iroh. "Uncle, I don't understand. What are you doing with the Avatar?"

"Saving you, that's what," Aang said.

He growled as he lunged himself at Aang, but Iroh stepped in the way, blocking him. Iroh looked at his nephew. "Zuko, it's time we talked." He glanced at Aang and Katara. "Go help your other friends. We'll catch up with you."

Aang nodded and gave Iroh a respectful bow. He returned his attention to Katara. "Where are Cheng Xin and Jet?"

Katara didn't respond and just pointed to the corner of the room again. "See for yourself."

Looking in the direction she was pointing, Aang gasped. Jet...he was...dead? "Who did this?"

She walked pass Aang and into the tunnel he created. "Cheng."

Aang's eyes widened. Did he hear Katara right? He quickly chased after her. "Wait a minute!"

Once Aang and Katara were gone, Zuko was left to talk with his uncle.

"Why?" he said.

Iroh placed a hand on his shoulder. "You are not the man you used to be, Zuko. You are stronger and wiser and freer than you have ever been. And now you have come to the crossroads of your destiny." He smiled. "It's time for you to choose. It's time for you to choose _good_."

Zuko closed his eyes. Once again, his uncle was detouring him from his path back to the Fire Nation. And yet...perhaps he was making some sense.

Out of nowhere a trail of crystals shot out of the ground and incased Iroh, immobilizing him. Zuko turned in the direction of the attack. It was Azula and a group of Dai Li agents. He looked down. In one of the agents arms was Cheng Xin. Her wrists and ankles were bound together with rock cuffs. She was glaring at Azula, but kept her mouth shut.

Azula approached Zuko. "Well it looks like you managed to get past your guard." She looked at Cheng Xin with distaste. "I expected this kind of treachery from Uncle, but Zuko, _Prince_ Zuko…you're a lot of things, but you're not a traitor..." Azula raised an eyebrow. "Are you?"

Zuko ignored her words. All he cared about was his uncle. "Release him immediately!"

She smirked. "It's not too late for you, Zuko. You can still redeem yourself."

"The kind of redemption she offers is not for you," Iroh said.

Azula narrowed her eyes. "Why don't you let him decide, _Uncle_?" She returned her attention to her brother. She knew how to get him to do whatever she wanted. She'd been doing it to him for years ever since they were little. "I need you, Zuko. I've plotted every move of this day. This glorious day in Fire Nation history. And the only way we win is together. At the end of this day, you will have your honor back. You will have your father's love. You will have everything you want."

Iroh could see the trap Azula was setting Zuko up in. She was just baiting him. He looked at his nephew. "Zuko, I am begging you, look into your heart and see what it is that you truly want."

Zuko paused, not answering. He wasn't sure what to decide. What _did_ he truly want?

Azula nodded. "You are free to choose." She looked up ahead and spotted the tunnel Aang and Katara went through. _The Avatar must have escaped this way._ She'd cut them off before they'd have a chance to. Azula walked over to Cheng Xin and snatched her by the collar. "Why don't you join me, airbender? For aiding me it'll be more than fitting for you to watch your friends' demise."

….

Aang panted as he finally caught up with Katara. She kept her quick pace, her face knotted up with anger.

"Katara, what do you mean, Cheng killed Jet? Why would she do something like that?" Aang said.

Furious, Katara threw her arms up in the air. "Like I would know? When I came to warn the Earth King with Jet, she was in the throne room and attacked us! I didn't understand why she was until Azula showed up. She's turned on us, Aang, and Jet had to pay the price for it!"

Aang stopped walking. He couldn't...he couldn't believe it. It couldn't be true. He'd known Cheng Xin for a while, and there was no way she'd be capable of killing someone. Not on purpose. He looked at Katara. She was only angry because she was caught in the middle of it, but there had to be another explanation.

He shook his head. "It's not true."

"Oh, but I'm afraid it is, Avatar."

Aang and Katara turned around and saw Azula behind them. Next to her was Cheng Xin, still tied up.

Azula stared at the duo with a smirk as she pushed Cheng Xin foward. "Why don't you tell the Avatar to his face, airbender? Tell him what you did to your other friend."

She hung her head shamefully as she slowly nodded. "It was me. I..." She paused. Killed? Jet was dead? And she...it was because...

Aang stared at Cheng Xin with wide eyes. But why? Why would she do it? He watched as tears fell down her face. Something wasn't right. He glared at Azula. "What did you do to her?"

She shrugged as she walked around Cheng Xin and faced them. "Absolutely nothing. She decided to join me on her own accord. I guess a mere future of being nothing more than your consort wasn't good enough for her."

Katara gasped, stepping forward. "So this is what it's about? You having to marry Aang!" She narrowed her eyes at Cheng Xin. "I can't believe you!"

_But..._ Aang frowned. That couldn't be true. She wouldn't betray them just so she could not be forced to marry him. He looked at her, worried. "Cheng, is this true?"

Cheng Xin refused to meet his gaze. She wanted to say it. She wanted to tell them the truth so bad. But she couldn't. Not when Azula was standing right there. Cheng Xin just cried. "I"m sorry."

Aang stepped back, unsure of what to say. He heard a bored sigh come from Azula.

The Fire Nation Princess examined her nails before giving a small yawn. "Well...as engaging as all this is...I didn't come here just to chat."

Saying no more_, _Azula sent a stream of blue fire at Aang and Katara. Reacting quickly, Aang sheilded them with a wall of rock. Katara looked around, noticing all of the channels of water in the catacombs. Raising her hands, she struck Azula down with large wave. Azula shot her fire forward, cutting through the wave with ease. Jumping into the air, she rained a few fireballs down on them. Working together, Katara and Aang blocked the attack with a stream of water. The impact of their elements created a cloud of steam. Aang and Katara patiently waited, their hands out, their eyes darting in every direction, for Azula's next move. Suddenly, the Princess jumped out from the steam and landed on a rock column above them. Aang shot his fists forward, collapsing the column with his earthbending. Losing her balance, Azula let herself fall to the ground, landing on her feet. She aimed her hands, fingertips pointed, at Aang and Katara, her gaze shifting between them to see who would attack first.

Azula scowled to herself. This fight was proving more challenging then she expected. But, then of course, it was two against one. And one of them was the Avatar. If only she had a second fighter to even things out._  
_

Cheng Xin watched from her place on the floor. She was tied up and couldn't get her rock cuffs undone. She felt helpless and hurt. And not because of Azula, but because of Aang. Now he thinks she betrayed them too.

A blast of normal fire struck in between Azula, Katara, and Aang. Everyone directed their attention to the source of the attack and saw.

_Zuko?_ Cheng Xin blinked. It was him, but what was he doing? She watched Zuko look between his sister and Aang. It was almost like he was deciding something.

The Prince set his gaze on Aang. As much as his uncle wanted him to do the opposite, Zuko didn't believe his place was with the Avatar, and so...

_I'm sorry, Uncle._

Zuko shot another blast of fire at Aang, who blocked it with his airbending. Azula smirked at the action. Her little intervention worked. And now to even the odds... She sent a jet of fire at Katara, squaring off with her. Katara quickly blocked the attack with another stream of water.

Cheng Xin lay in her spot, wide-eyed. She knew it. Zuko was lying before. How could she be so stupid? And Katara didn't have her water pouch with her, which meant he probably tossed it somewhere. Also, if Zuko was fighting for Azula, then it made their chances of winning even slimmer. _  
_

Zuko struck Aang with a barrage of fire balls. Creating a whirlwind, Aang blocked the fire and shot his whirlwind at Zuko in a gust of air. The attack struck Zuko, sending him flying into a bunch of green crystals behind him. He slammed on the ground, groaning in pain. Aang leaped forward, attacking Zuko with a blast of wind. Quicking rolling out of the way, Zuko countered with a blast of fire at Aang's legs. Aang jumped high into the air and landed on a column while Zuko shot more orbs of fire in his direction. Aang managed to hop out of the way and landed on the tip of a large, pointy crystal sticking out of the stone wall high above. Growling, Zuko launched a mighty blast of fire at Aang. Lifting his arms, Aang rose the crystals below him and shieiled himself. However, the fire blast was too strong and exploded on contact, shattering the crystals. Waving his arms, Zuko turned his flames into long, searing whips of fire. He swung both whips at Aang, who jumped out of the way. Aang panted as he continuously dogded Zuko's attacks. The Prince of the Fire Nation had gotten much stronger, but he knew he couldn't lose. Ba Sing Se was a stake.

On the other side of the room, Azula as she landed feet first on the floor, into a puddle of water. She sees Katara and the two female masters charge each other. However, Katara stopped short, bending the puddle of water and raising a few thin waves. The water acts like raiser blades and sliced part of Azula's hair as she stepped back. Azula glared at Katara, and tried to attack her again, but the waterbender managed to knock her to the floor. Katara bent the water all around her, incasing her herself in liquid. With her arms, she created to long tentacles that engulfed Azula's right arm and left leg. The water sucked Azula in as Katara raised the tentacles in the air, taking Azula with them. Katara grinned. She was winning, and as soon as she was done with the Princess, she'd help Aang deal with Zuko.

Unfortunately, before Katara could have the chance to, Zuko saw his sister immobilized and rushed to her aid. Doing an overhead kick, Zuko sent a blade of fire that cut through Katara's water tentacles. Azula was able to break herself free, and set her sights on Aang. She ran toward him leaving Katara and Zuko to duel. With her water tentacles and his fire whips, they collided and thrashed at each other.

**"**I thought you had changed!" Katara said.

Zuko continued the fight, unnerved. "I have changed!"

Katara glared him, tears in her eyes. "So it _was_ all a lie! You and Cheng Xin were only trying to trick me!" She tried her best to slice at him with her water, but they were too evenly matched.

Suddenly, Zuko spun around, whipping his fire into a ball, and sent it straight at her. Katara tried to block the move, but the force of the fire was too strong, and she was knocked back into the crystals behind her. She groaned as she rolled over on her side, her hair coming undone. Zuko approached and stood over her with his fists full of fire.

His gaze was fierce and uncaring as he said, "As for your friend, the only reason she's with my sister is because Azula threatened to kill her family."

_What?_ Katara stared at him as she tried to stand up, her muscles aching. "You're lying again."

"Believe what you want," Zuko said, as he raised his fists, ready to strike her down.

However, Katara managed to bring herself to her feet, just in time. She whipped a stream of water around herself and forced Zuko back. As Azula battled Aang, she overheard Zuko and Katara shouting, including Zuko's little explanation. She faced Aang, deciding to take the offensive. Placing her hands behind her, Azula jetted herself forward, shooting fire from her hands and feet, like a rocket. To counterattack, Aang bended the come crystals around himself, creating a crystallized armor. The two of them charged each other. At the last minute, Azula stopped short and shot her flames ahead of her. The fire cut through Aang's armor, sending him flying into the cavern walls.

Having the short breather, Azula glanced at Cheng Xin. The airbender girl remained tied up, not lifting a finger to try and stop her or help her friends. Instead, she just lay there, beaten and defeated. Azula smirked and muttered, "So weak."

Azula joined her brother, so they could take out the waterbender. Zuko flung one of his fiery whips at Katara, who deflected it with her water tentacle. But Azula jumped up and shot a blast of fire down at her. Katara blocked the attack by creating a wall of water. The wall was able to deflect more attacks until Zuko and Azula attacked her at the same time. Katara was blown back into a cluster of crystals.

Suddenly a rumbling noise echoed from across the cavern. Azula and Zuko turn to see Aang spring free. He jumped down into the floor, bringing up a mound of rock. Aang rolled acrossed the floor with it as he stampeded toward the two firebenders. However, before he can get close, a Dai Li agent jumped in front of him and destroyed the mound with his earthbending, sending Aang to the floor. Slowly picking himself up, Aang looks around spotting over two dozen agents clinging to the cavern ceiling. They jumped down to the ground and surrounded Aang and Katara. Aang stood up ready to face them, but he was getting worn out. He looked across the room and saw that Katara was in the same condition.

_I can't take this anymore!_ Cheng Xin could see the predicament Katara and Aang were in but she couldn't do anything to help. She couldn't break out of these binds without an earthbender. Surely something could be done. If only Aang could do what he did at the Northpole, then they'd win for sure.

Aang sighed as he dropped his hands._ There's just too many of them._ He turned away from everyone as he remembered the Guru's words.

_"The only way is to let her go."_

He sat down on the floor and whispered, "I'm sorry, Katara."

Aang earthbended several around himself, creating a tent. Crossing his legs and putting his fists together, he Aang started meditating. Outside, everyone watched as the crystallized tent started to glow. After what seems to be forever, Aang opened his eyes, which glowed with the same light. The crystals around him exploded creating a shockwave that knocked Zuko and the Dai Li agents back. The light shot up to the ceiling like a pillar. As it did, Aang slowly emerged, floating high in the air. Katara looks up at Aang and smiled. They were going to win. Cheng Xin shared the same expression until she noticed someone walked away from the group and behind Aang. It was Azula. Fingertips pointed, Azula charged up a lightning attack, ready to strike Aang from behind. Cheng Xin gasped as she remembered what Aang told her about the Avatar state.

_"Are you sure? 'Cause if you want to talk, I'm all ears." Receiving no answer, Cheng Xin closed her eyes._

_Lowering his head slightly, Aang decided to share his thoughts. "It's the Avatar state."_

_Cheng Xin sat up again and looked at him in confusion. "What do you mean?" She then crawled over to Aang, and placed a hand on his shoulder. "You don't want to transform again, do you?"_

_"No, no, it's nothing like that," Aang said, lifting his head to face her. "The last time I was in the Avatar state, I spoke with Roku."_

_Cheng Xin dropped her hand and raised an eyebrow. "Roku?"_

_"The Avatar before me. We can communicate to each other through the Avatar state." Aang gazed at the sky. "He said that the Avatar state allows me to bend the power of all the Avatars before me, but he also said…."_

_Cheng Xin noticed the worried expression on Aang's face. "What else did he say, Aang?"_

_Aang gulped before opening his mouth to speak. "He said that if I'm killed in the Avatar state, the Avatar would cease to exist."_

Cheng Xin gasped. _No._ If Azula managed to attack him, then Aang would... "Look out, Aang!"

But he didn't hear her. Azula continued her attack, sending a bolt of lightning surging through his body. Clothes torn and covered in smoke, Aang plummeted down to the ground.

_No. Aang. _Tears in her eyes, Katara carried herself over to Aang in a giant wave and caught him before he hit the ground.

Katara looked at Aang as he lay in her arms. He was unconscious and there were slight burns on his arms and legs. More tears spilled from her eyes. This couldn't be happening. Aang couldn't be dead. She looked up at Azula and Zuko and all of the Dai Li agents, feeling helpless. She wouldn't be able to fight any of them like this. As a small struck of luck, a blast of fire separated Katara from the others. She looked up and saw Iroh jump in front of her.

He sent small shots of fire at the agents, and looked over his shoulder, "You've got to get out of here! I'll hold them off as long as I can!"

Katara nodded and runs with Aang to the waterfall. She glanced back to where Cheng Xin lay. There was no way she could get to her, and even if she could... Feelings mixed, Katara wrapped a stream of water around her and Aang and floated up and out of the catacombs.

Cheng Xin closed her eyes, realizing she was trapped. And what about Aang? Was he dead? And what was Azula going to do with her?

...

Katara was able to find Sokka, Toph, and the Earth King who managed to escape from their cell. Together they took Appa and fled the palace.

"Oh man," Sokka said. He'd never seen Aang so injured before. He was even more surprised when Katara told everyone what happened.

Katara examined Aang's back. There was a large gash where the lightning struck him. She had to heal him and fast. However, at the moment she didn't have any...wait the spirit water! Katara quickly took the vile out of her pocket and opened it. She bended out the water inside, and placed on the gash on Aang's back. The water absorbed into the wound, and Aang's tattoos glowed for a split second. Aang began to stir, and he slightly opened his eyes. Katara looked at him and smiled relieved. She hugged him as he fell asleep. Everyone else looked relieved as well.

"So, does this mean that Princess is the enemy now?" Toph said.

Katara paused, not sure how to answer.

_"As for your friend, the only reason she's with my sister is because Azula threatened to kill her family."_

She wanted to say yes, but Zuko's words haunted her. Why did he even give her an explanation like that? And yet...it was making all the puzzles pieces fit together. The letter Cheng Xin received from her grandparents mentioned her village being attacked by the Fire Nation, and they were captured. And how could she blame Cheng Xin? It would be like her choosing between the life of her father and brother or Aang. And it seemed like something Azula would do. Katara frowned at herself. Cheng Xin, Jet, and her were protecting the Earth King, but because Cheng Xin changed sides, it weakened their chances of winning. Now...now it was too late.

Katara closed her eyes. "No, Toph, she's not."

...

"We've done it, Zuko. It's taken a hundred years, but the Fire Nation has conquered Ba Sing Se," Azula said.

Azula and Zuko were in the Earth King's throne room. The Princess sat on the throne, smirking to herself. Meanwhile Cheng Xin was on the floor, leaning against the staircase.

Zuko looked away from his sister. "I betrayed Uncle."

She shook her head. "No, he betrayed you." Azula stood up, and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Zuko, when you return home, father will welcome you as a war hero."

"But...my mission was to capture the Avatar. In order for him to restore my honor..." Zuko said.

She smiled. "He doesn't need to, Zuko. Today, you restored your own honor." Zuko shrugged away from her. Azula shook her head. He'd get over it. She turned her attention toward Cheng Xin. "So, what to do with you?"

Cheng Xin just glared at her, tears in her eyes.

"Well...despite your little outburst, you stayed obedient. Perhaps, I should keep you along with the Dai Li agents as a souvenir?" she said.

Not responding, Cheng Xin just steepened her glare.

Azula raised an eyebrow. "Is that all? You have nothing to say? You should at least be grateful. I did you a favor, did I not?" She frowned when Cheng Xin looked away from her. "I see. You're still worried about your precious Avatar? Well, he's gone now. You'll learn to live with it."

Cheng Xin just hung her head, remaining silent. There was nothing she could say.

...

As the gang soared over the outer wall, Katara looked back at the grand city.

"The Earth Kingdom…has fallen," the Earth King said.


	17. Imprisonment

Chapter Shi Qi- Imprisonment

_This isn't happening. It can't be happening._

Cheng Xin huddled her knees under her chin as she wrapped her arms around her legs. She looked around the small, dark room she was placed in. It was a day or so later, she wasn't sure. She was too distracted by the current situation. Aang was dead. The world's only hope for peace was gone. Cheng Xin closed her eyes and blamed herself. If she hadn't been forced to Azula's side, things could have turned out differently. But it was too late to change things now. Now, she was trapped in the lower level of a ship heading for the Fire Nation.

What was going to happen to her? Would they kill her? Would they lock her in a cell? And what of the others? What was going to happen to Katara, Sokka, and Toph? Were they even okay? She had only seen Katara and Aang during the fight, and Katara barely managed to escape with Aang.

Day One

The room rocked and swayed with the movement of the ship. Cheng Xin lost track of the days that passed as she wallowed in her small corner. Every now and then she would hear footsteps pass by the door. Her stomach rumbled and she held it, groaning. She hadn't been given more than water. And even that was in scare amounts. Cheng Xin closed her eyes, hoping sleep would let her escape from her dreaded reality for a while. But before she could, the door swung open and slammed in into the wall behind it with a loud thud.

Cheng Xin frowned when she saw the Fire Nation soldiers standing before her.

"Welcome to the Fire Nation."

The soldiers placed Cheng Xin's hands and feet in cuffs, and she was dragged out of the ship to the harbor. All around her she saw crates and items being carried off of the ship she was on and various others. There wasn't any sign of the royal family. She hung her head, sighing. No doubt they were out celebrating their victory. Waiting at the gate entrance of the harbor were a handful Dai Lee agents.

One of the agents approached the soldiers. "We have been given orders by Princess Azula to bring the airbender to the palace."

The soldiers nodded and shoved Cheng Xin into the agent's arms. The rest of the Dai Li surrounded her to make sure she couldn't escape, and they headed to the palace city. Cheng Xin took in everything around her. The buildings and clothing styles of the natives were red and gold. The colors of fire. Cheng Xin could see the palace in the distance. It wasn't as large as the Earth King's in Ba Sing Se. And now that she thought about it, the whole city would only manage to fill the Earth King's palace up to the courtyard gates. Maybe. And there was something else Cheng Xin couldn't help but notice. Unlike the rest of the world, the Fire Nation was thriving. Their people looked happy and prosperous. There were no refugees or destroyed villages or broken up families. The sight made Cheng Xin angry. Angry that this nation could live in peace while the rest of the world suffered.

"Keep moving, girl," one of the agents behind her, said.

Cheng Xin flinched when she was pushed forward. She hadn't even realized she had stopped walking; she was too distracted by the city and too anticipative of her fate. In fact, it just made the walk feel even longer. With each step she took, her heart skipped a beat. She spent her entire time on the ship wondering what would become of her, and now she was here.

Soon they were inside the royal palace. There were servants rushing to and fro, carrying out whatever tasks they were given. At last the Dai Li agents stopped in front of a large door guarded by two richly dressed soldiers. The soldiers moved out of the way and let the Dai Li pass.

_Is this the dungeons? No, I don't want to be locked up again._ As the doors opened, Cheng Xin looked up and gasped.

She hadn't been taken to the dungeons; this was the Fire Lord's throne room. Tall pillars aligned the walls and reached all the way back toward the throne on the other side. And there sat Fire Lord Ozai, his form silhouetted by the large, intimidating wall of fire rising out in front of him.

If she was capable of dropping dead, Cheng Xin wished she could at that moment. Guided by her captors, the Dai Li walked to the end of the hall and bowed a few feet from the barrier of flames. Cheng Xin groaned as she was forced onto her knees. She didn't want to bow to the enemy, but she had no choice.

"Leave the girl and go," Ozai said.

The agents quickly stood and gave the Fire Lord a smaller bow before exiting the room. Cheng Xin remained on her knees, trembling. The cuffs around her wrists and ankles clanked together from her nervous movement as she kept her eyes glued to the floor. She could hear footsteps approaching her, but she still refused to look up.

"Face me."

Cheng Xin cringed. It was the Fire Lord who was standing in front of her. She slowly lifted her face, but she didn't look him straight in the eye. Away from the wall of fire, Ozai appeared less frightening, but only a little. He was dressed in a long, elegant, red robe. He had fair skin, golden eyes, and a long, black beard. His black hair was pulled back in a ponytail and crowned with a gold, flame shaped pin, symbolizing his position.

Ozai stared down at Cheng Xin. Her trembling form pleasing him. "So…the other airbender. How does it feel to be the only one left?"

She didn't respond and just closed her eyes, her head turning away as she did so.

"I see." Ozai placed a hand under her chin and forced her to look at him. "I'm sure you're wondering why you're here." He noticed a beaded chain clasped around her neck and pulled it, revealing the amulet she had hidden underneath he clothes. He looked at it was interest. It was a necklace. An airbender's necklace. "You and your worthless people are weak. Why else would the Avatar die so easily at the hands of my own children."

Cheng Xin felt a spark of fury ignite inside of her. How dare he. How dare he mock Aang and the rest of the airbenders. However, Cheng Xin kept her mouth shut, anything to prolong her dreaded fate.

Ozai looked at the amulet at the end of the necklace. He shifted his gaze to Cheng Xin with a sneer and forcefully shoved her to the floor. Cheng Xin groaned but didn't speak out in protest.

"It only does me a great honor to carry out my grandfather Sozin's work, and end the Air Nomads for good," Ozai said.

The door to the throne room opened and a soldier stepped through and bowed. "Your grace, Master Tung has come as you requested."

Ozai nodded and the soldier left the room. A new figure entered and addressed his superior. "You called for me, my Lord?"

Cheng Xin glanced at the new figure from the corner of her eye. It was a man who seemed to be in his late twenties. He had dark brown hair that was held up in a high ponytail like the rest of the Fire Nation citizens. He wore dark red armor and had a mustache and small goatee.

"Yes." Ozai gestured to Cheng Xin. "I have another addition for your prison."

Tung's face contorted into a sadistic grin. "Excellent." He snapped his fingers and was instantly accompanied by two of his servants. "Collect the girl."

The servants rushed to over Cheng Xin, pulled her up by her arms, and headed out of the room.

"Make sure she doesn't escape." Tung returned his attention to the Fire Lord and bowed. "I shall take good care of her."

Cheng Xin kept completely still as she waited in the hallway. Tung's servants had a firm grip on her, and there was no place for her to escape to. Cheng Xin gulped. And Fire Lord Ozai mentioned the word prison. She was going to be locked away in a cell.

She looked up when she heard footsteps approaching her. It was Tung. He focused his gaze on her, his expression a mixture of amusement and distaste.

"My, my, an airbender." Tung bent down and met her eye level. "You're going to be one of my very special prisoners."

Cheng Xin blinked, meeting his gaze. Seeing him up close, she noticed that Tung eyes were a light gray color. Usually the Fire Nation members she had seen so far only had gold or brown eyes.

"Nothing to say?" Tung gave a slight chuckle as he fully stood. "You are quite a timid little thing, aren't you?"

She simply hung her head and let herself get taken away. They made their way to the prison and headed underground beneath the palace city.

Cheng Xin was wide eyed at what she saw. _The palace is sitting over a dormant volcano?_

There were rivers and pools over magma everywhere, and the heat was unbearable. It was worse than the Earth Kingdom desert. Cheng Xin spotted a large, metal dome in the distance, but she wasn't taken to it. Instead, she was brought deeper and deeper underground. By the time they reached the end, she could have guessed that they went down ten floors. At the end of the hall was a metal door. A soldier was waiting beside the door and quickly opened it.

Cheng Xin gasped. Her fate wasn't what she'd expected. She thought she was going to be locked away in a cell in a regular prison, but what her captors had in store for her was far more devastating.

"Welcome to the magma chamber," Tung said.

It was a cylinder cave with a large pool of magma fluctuating at the bottom. What seemed to be the cells were kept high above of the pool, and there were three rows that wrapped around the cave.

Cheng Xin was carried along the top row, and as they walked, she realized that there were no cells. The walls were just solid rock. They stopped, and one of the soldiers blasted a ball of fire into the wall. Cheng Xin watched with surprise as the wall cracked into the outline of a door. The soldier opened the door, and Cheng Xin was dragged inside. They tightly chained the cuffs around her wrists and ankles to the wall. They wrapped another cuff around her neck and chained it to the ceiling. And lastly, they placed a muzzle over her mouth and tied it in the back of her head.

Finished with their work, the soldiers exited the cell leaving Cheng Xin alone with Tung. He stood in front of her, a smirk plastered across his face.

"I hope you're comfortable because you're going to be here for a long time."

All Cheng Xin could do was glare at him, tears forming in her eyes.

Tung walked toward the door. "Farewell, airbender."

Tung disappeared out of the cell, and Cheng Xin stared at her last glimpse of light as the soldiers shut the door. She could hear it seal, trapping her in the dark. And now she was alone with nothing but the haunting silence to keep her company. The chains attached to her were so tight that she couldn't move at all.

_All this to keep me from bending. _Cheng Xin realized that had been their intention when they covered her mouth.

Not that it would have mattered. The intense heat was enough to weaken her. The cell acted like an incubator, almost baking her. The metal cuffs absorbed the heat like a sponge and burned into her skin. And the air, the air was so thick that she could barely breathe. Cheng Xin remembered when they had escaped the cave of the lovers, and Aang told her that airbenders don't do well in cages.

Cheng Xin let her tears fall from her face as she started to cry. _Oh, Aang. Please forgive me._

She silently wished that things turned out differently. If only she hadn't been tricked into taking Azula's side. If only she wasn't forced to choose between her family and friends. If only Aang had won. And now…now she was trapped in the Fire Nation…left to rot.

Day Four

Cheng Xin rested in her cell completely soul broken. This place was truly torture. Once a day the soldiers would open the door to her cell to recycle the air. Cheng Xin assumed they didn't want her to die of suffocation too soon. They wanted her alive but just barely. She wasn't fed and was only given a small amount of water twice a day. Cheng Xin wasn't sure how long she had been locked up already, but it felt like an eternity.

Right now, she was resting in the dark. She hoped she could fall asleep, but she couldn't. She was too uncomfortable. Her cuffs continued to sear their way into her skin, and she was sure they were leaving scars. She heard the seal to the door unlock, and an eclipse of light peered into the room. Cheng Xin closed her eyes and turned away.

"Knock, knock, anybody home?"

She recognized the voice as Tung's, but she kept her eyes shut. The full amount of light was too much for her.

Tung entered the cell and approached Cheng Xin. He smirked as he observed the state she was in. Weak, frail, and moldable. _When someone is cut off of all life and society, it's amazing what lengths the person will go through to get it back._ Tung placed a hand under her chin and turned her toward him. "Now, is that the way to greet your master?"

Cheng Xin mustered the deepest glare she could, but she was too hungry and dizzy to act intimidating.

Tung let out a bored yawn. "I suppose that'll do it for now." He circled her. "And what am I doing here, you ask? I told you before that you were going to be my special prisoner."

_What is he going to do? Torture me?_ Cheng Xin shrunk away from Tung making him grin.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you. As long as you cooperate." Tung placed his hands behind his back. "Personally, if it were up to me, I would just kill you, but Princess Azula desires to keep you alive. Why, I don't know, and I don't care." He glanced at her. "However, while I still have you, I shall make you an obedient servant for the Princess." Tung chuckled. "After all, we can't have you committing any acts of treason, now can we?"

Cheng Xin tried to speak, but her words were muffled.

"What was that? Oh that's right, you've already committed treason, haven't you?" Tung shook a finger at her. "Betrayal against the Avatar and your own nation. I couldn't fathom the guilt you must feel."

Tung reached behind Cheng Xin's head and removed the muzzle. The skin on her face was bruised and sensitive. The open air did nothing but agitate it further.

"So, do you have anything to say?" Tung said.

"I…uh…I." Cheng Xin struggled to speak as she painfully parted her lips. They felt like they had been fused together. "I…."

"Yes?" Tung nodded, edging her on. "Speak, girl."

"I…I." She coughed and took in a gasp of air. "I…will never…obey…the Fire Nation…again…."

As soon as she finished her sentence, something struck her across the left side of her face. Her damaged skin stung from the impact, and she cried out in pain. Cheng Xin glanced up from the corner of her eye and saw Tung with his hand raised.

He shook his head with disapproval. "I see we have a lot of work to do."

Day Seven

_Where did my life go so wrong? All I wanted was to save my grandparents. I didn't want any of this to happen._

Cheng Xin cried in the silence, lost in her thoughts. Her mental state was slowly slipping by the minute. After the first time, Tung decided to pay her daily visits. On each occasion, he would taunt and rile her about her situation and then remove her muzzle. Remembering what happened before, she refused to speak, but Tung would only hit her until she did. If she said something he didn't like, she was hit even more. And to add to the reprimand she was deprived of her water rations.

Once again she heard the door unseal, and Tung stepped through. "Ah, how's my little patient today?"

She silently scowled at him and wished he would leave.

"Don't think I didn't see that look. That defiance of yours will be your undoing." Tung twisted his smile into smirk. "And isn't amazing how many new things you can learn in a day."

Cheng Xin raised an eyebrow, his attitude making her nervous.

"Would you like to know what I learned about you?" He walked over to her and pressed his lips to her ear. "You're a murderer."

_What?_ Cheng Xin's heart skipped a beat. What was he getting at?

"Yes, and I believe it was one of your friends." Tung watched her shocked reactions, amused. "Oh, but you're still hoping to escape this place, aren't you? Back to whatever allies you have left. But I'll let you in on a little secret." He met her gaze. "You have no friends. No friends, no family, no allies, nothing. In fact, an insignificant, little brat like you is _worth_ nothing. You're not even worthy of death."

_Don't listen to him. He's just trying to mess with you. _Cheng Xin turned her head away in a vain attempt to block Tung out.

"Now, now, don't act like that. You know it's the truth." Tung held her face to his. "No one cares about you. But...it could be different. You can be somebody. You just need to make new friends. The Fire Nation is all you have now." He reached behind her and unwrapped her muzzle again. "Now…what do you say?"

Cheng Xin stared him straight in the eye. "N…no."

Tung's face twitched as he pulled away from her. "No, eh?" He turned her back to her. "You know, I don't even know why I'm bothering. Why should I have to reason with a mere child!"

His hand collided against her face with a loud smack that echoed throughout the cell. Cheng Xin broke into the tears from the pain. How long was she going to have to endure this?

Immediately straightening himself up, Tung returned to his calm composure. "And why would you, a mere child, believe…why would you even remotely think that you would know more than I." He shifted his gaze from his hand to her. "A child doesn't know what is best for them. A child needs to be disciplined, taught, guarded, and molded into the ideal adult. A great citizen for our nation."

_This guy is crazy._ Cheng Xin's lip trembled as she watched him approach her.

"But you believe your way of life is better, don't you? The life of a wild, reckless brat." Tung smiled. "But don't worry. I'm here to fix all of that."

He placed her muzzle back on and made it extra tight. Cheng Xin cringed as the hot metal engraved the scars around her face even deeper.

Tung headed for the door. "However, I do believe you need the rest of the day to think it over. I will see you again tomorrow."

Day Ten

Cheng Xin slowly swayed back and forth on her chains in a daze.

_It's all my fault. They hate me, and its all my fault._

Her mind slipped further and further into doubt. But why should she hope? Aang was dead. The others wouldn't be able to fight the Fire Nation without him. And why would they ever come for her. She betrayed them, she killed Jet; she helped Katara get captured; she let Zuko go. It was her fault.

The scolding hot cuffs around her limbs and mouth no longer affected her. She had grown numb to the heat. Tung had allowed her to have water again, so she wouldn't drop dead. But at this point it wasn't enough. Her stomach ached and gnawed at her constantly.

"Ah. Another day, another opportunity for you," echoed Tung's voice as he entered her cell. He grinned and leaned against the wall. "I must hand it to you, little girl, must of my prisoners would have broken after five days. I would have expected a child like you to break after two. Then again, considering what you are, I believe one day would have been the more accurate guess." Tung gave her a mischievous look. "After all, airbenders don't do well inside of cages."

Cheng Xin just stared at him, waiting for their ritual to continue.

Tung folded his arms. "You know, I've only had one other prisoner like you. Been here for about three years. I don't know; I tend to lose track after a while. A treacherous wench just like you too. Even committed murder." Fully standing, Tung clasped his hands together and cracked his knuckles. "But enough boring news. Let's focus on the headline story." He placed a hand under her chin, carefully avoiding her cuffs. "Now I'm sure you're tired in this prison, and I doubt you could last years here. But it could all end, you know. You could be free of this."

Cheng Xin deflected her eye contact with him.

"Look at me," Tung said, his voice stern. He smiled when she obeyed. She was beginning to fear him. _Excellent. After all, fear and obedience walk hand and hand._ He removed her muzzle again. "But what do you want? Do you want to be free?"

She paused, unsure of what to say. Of course she wanted to be free, but at what cost?

Tung raised his hand. "Answer me."

Cheng Xin flinched, terrified of being hit again. "Ye…yes."

"Yes, what?" Tung grinned. "What are you saying yes to?"

"Free…." Cheng Xin cringed when he narrowed his eyes at her. "I w..ant…fre..edom. Yes, I…want freedom."

Tung nodded. "Good, good." He met her eye level. "Now, how do you get freedom?"

"By…." Cheng Xin panicked. She didn't know the answer, and she didn't want to get hit anymore. But what did he want her to say?

He raised an eyebrow. "I'm waiting."

Cheng Xin's body shook. What did he want to hear? What was the right answer? She looked at him, tears forming in her eyes, and muttered, "Whatever…you…want."

Tung blinked. "I'm sorry. What did you say? I couldn't hear you."

"What…ever..you…want. I'll say…whatever…you want. Just…don't hit…me," she said.

"At last." Tung smiled as he stood up straight. "That's right, little girl. The only way to be free is to obey. Do as you're told, and you shall be rewarded." He held his hands behind his back. "And who do you obey?"

"Uh…." Cheng Xin looked at the floor as tears fell down her face, stinging her wounds. "Whomever…I'm supposed..to…obey."

"Be more specific. Do you obey the Earth Kingdom?" Tung said.

Frightened by the look he gave her, she stiffly shook her head. "No."

Tung nodded, pleased. "Is your allegiance with the Avatar? Do you want revenge for his death?"

More tears spilled from her eyes. "No."

"Is your loyalty with the Fire Lord and the royal family?" he said.

"Yes."

He smiled. "And who is your master?"

"You."

Tung looked down at her. "Address me with respect."

"You are my master…Master Tung," Cheng Xin said.

"Nice, very nice." Tung walked over to her. "And who do you obey? What nation is your allegiance to?"

Cheng Xin stared at him wide eyed as she realized what he wanted her to say. "The..Fire…Nation."

"What?"

She tried her best to speak properly despite her dry and bruised mouth. "I obey the Fire Nation."

"Yes, excellent." Tung lifted her face up with his finger. "The Fire Nation is all you have. It is your only friend. As long as you serve the Fire Nation, it shall protect and reward you. And you will get your freedom. Never forget that."

Day Thirteen

Sitting, it was almost a new sensation for Cheng Xin. And lying down seemed even more foreign. After finally breaking her in, Tung had ordered her chains to be removed. However, she remained trapped in the oven they considered a prison cell, surrounded by darkness.

The only highlight of the day was that they had actually given her food. Real food. It wasn't much, but her aching stomach willingly accepted a bowl of gruel as a large feast. Unfortunately, she ate the food so fast that, after being starved for days, she threw it all up.

Cheng Xin huddled herself into a corner of the room. Her mouth still tasted like bile even after she had her ration of water. Yet, at that moment, her greatest worry wasn't her next meal. No, her greatest fear and shame was that she sold her soul to the Fire Nation.


	18. The Eclipse

Chapter Shi Ba- The Eclipse

Day Fourteen

The door to Cheng Xin's cell unsealed, and the weakened airbender looked up from her dark corner to see Tung. His servants came out from behind him and quickly gathered her up. Tung walked over to Cheng Xin and met her eye level.

"Today is your lucky day."

Cheng Xin blinked, not sure what he meant. But she was too tired and worn down to care. Tung headed out of the cell, and his servants followed, carrying her with them. They headed out of the magma chamber and up the volcano. Before Cheng Xin knew it, they were above ground. She shook her head, feeling woozy. It was great yet overwhelming at the same time. The fresh, cool air was welcomed, but it also stung her lungs after getting used to the oven she was locked in. Cheng Xin cringed as she was taken outside. The bright, morning sun was too much for her eyes.

_What's going on? Where are they taking me?_ Cheng Xin eyed the main palace as her captors brought her to a different area and placed her in a small room.

From then on, everything felt like a blur. She was combed, scrubbed and re-dressed by the two servants. The new treatment she was getting felt good, however; at what cost was she getting it?

Cheng Xin sat quietly and ate the small amount of bread and water that was given to her. Despite her hunger, she tried her best to take slower bites so she wouldn't throw it up again. _It's because I serve the Fire Nation now._ Cheng Xin looked at the servants standing by the door. _Stupid. How could you even have such thoughts? There's nowhere for you to run. No one's coming to save you. And Aang is dead. It's over._

"Are we finished?" Tung said, glancing over her shoulder.

She quickly nodded. "Yes, Master Tung."

"Good." Tung snapped his fingers, and his servants took hold of Cheng Xin once more. "Then let's head out, shall we?"

….

"I know I've made some bad choices. But today, I'm going to set things right."

Zuko sat in his room as he looked at a portrait of his mother. The last two weeks had been straining. It ached him everyday that he betrayed his uncle. And then of course, his sister's meddling. Just when he thought that he finally earned his father's love, he realized it was hollow. Azula gave him the credit for killing the Avatar. Why? Because it wasn't true. The Avatar wasn't dead; he knew it in his gut. He was probably leading the invasion that was raging against the palace city. Zuko wanted to join them, but before he could do anything else, his first stop was his father.

….

Cheng Xin and Tung stood alone in an empty throne room. She looked around, finding the situation odd. As Tung took her to the main area of the palace, she noticed there was no one there. It was in direct contrast to when she was first brought here. Even the Fire Lord himself was missing. But the question was, why?

Tung circled Cheng Xin, a smirk on his face. "So, are you ready to face your test?"

"Test…master?" Cheng Xin said, raising an eyebrow.

He nodded. "Yes. To prove your worth to your nation." Tung folded his arms. "Our palace city is under siege. Your job is to annihilate any enemies that come your way. If you're able to stay alive, you'll be rewarded."

Cheng Xin watched Tung drop a pair of metal fans at her feet. She stared at him worriedly. "But Master Tung, I'm too weak to fight."

Tung quirked an eyebrow at her. "Oh?"

She looked at him, his tone scaring her. Without warning, Tung roughly snatched her arm and twisted it, making her face him. Cheng Xin shrunk back under his fierce gaze.

"So, you're too frail to defend your nation?" Tung tightened his grip around her wrist, the sensitive skin underneath bruising. Cheng Xin yelped in pain, but he refused to let go. "What if I decided to kill you right here and now? Which would you prefer? Death? Is that what you want!"

Cheng Xin quickly shook her head. "No, Master!" Tears spilled from her eyes. "Please."

"Very well." Tung roughly tossed her to the floor. "Now fight for your nation." He left out the throne room, his footsteps echoing through the hall.

Wiping her face, Cheng Xin slowly stood up and grabbed the fans from the floor. She stared at the weapons, her face reflecting in the metal. It almost gave her a heart attack. She looked a mess. She felt a mess. Her energy was drained from being in the cell. Her scars and bruises created by the burning chains stung even more, and she was still hungry and dehydrated.

_Fight? I can't fight like this._ Cheng Xin looked at the throne room doors. _And who am I fighting? Who would set an attack against the mainland of the Fire Nation? _

….

In the distance over the palace city, a lone figure soared over toward the palace.

….

_"What…happened?" _

_A pair of gray eyes opened to a red, metal ceiling. Slowly sitting up and ignoring the strange stinging feeling in their back, the figure looked to the sides and then down. Something seemed off. They weren't dressed in their normal clothes. Their gaze focused on the blue arrow tattoos that went along their arms as their vision cleared. It was then that something caught their eye. Beside the spot they were resting was a large, red flag, with the Fire Nation insignia on it._

_"Oh, no!"_

_Panicking, the figure quickly found their staff and scrambled out of the room they were being held captive in. They stumbled their way pass soldiers until they reached the deck of a ship. And soon they came across a few familiar faces._

_"Katara?"_

_Katara turned around, a look of relief on her face. "Aang, you're awake!"_

….

_It's been two weeks since then._ Aang looked down at the palace city of the Fire Nation as he flew on his glider.

In that time, he had been under a lot of stress. He failed to defend Ba Sing Se and the world thought he was dead. The news when the others told him had dealt Aang a heavy blow. And on top of that was Cheng Xin's betrayal. Katara had talked to him, repeating what she learned.

_I knew there was something wrong. Azula threatened to kill her grandparents; she had no choice. _Aang shook his head.

Every thing was so messed up. Ba Sing Se fell. And Cheng Xin was gone, lost to the Fire Nation. But there was still hope. Katara, Sokka, Toph, and him had gathered the various friends they made during their travels and formed an army. And today they were laying siege on the palace city. And it was this day that he would defeat the Fire Lord. The day of the solar eclipse.

….

Cheng Xin remained in the throne room unsure of what to do. There was no one around.

She stepped forward. _Maybe I should explore the palace. I can't carry out my task if I stay like this._

Stumbling slightly, Cheng Xin made her way out of the throne room and into the hall. There was still no one in sight. Not even Tung. She furrowed her brow, nervous. Where could she go? Tung had said the city was under siege. Maybe she needed to head outside.

_But how do I get outside?_ Cheng Xin looked left then right. She shrugged and figured she'd find a way out eventually. The less confrontations she had the better.

….

Aang reached the palace when he noticed something strange. There was no one around. He had been expecting a fight of some sort, but he didn't see anybody.

_Maybe they're all inside._ Aang nodded to himself and proceeded into the palace.

Once again the eerie feeling continued. The palace was empty too. Aang raised an eyebrow, but decided to keep going. He reached what he thought to be the throne room. Aang took a deep breath. This was it; he was ready. He busted through the doors and to his surprise his worries were realized.

"No…."

The throne room was empty as well, and the Fire Lord was gone. Aang's eyes widened. This couldn't be happening, not now.

"Fire Lord Ozai! Where are you!"

….

Cheng Xin had made it outside and continued walking despite her dragging pace. She was too tired. There was no way she would be able fight. She could barely walk a short distance. Short of breath, Cheng Xin sat against a wall. In the distance, she could hear numerous explosions. However, her attention was drawn toward the sky. There was something flying away from the palace to the battle. Cheng Xin blinked, wondering if her mind was playing tricks with her. No, that was what she saw. But it didn't look like any type of bird; it looked like a person gliding in the air.

_No, it couldn't be. _Cheng Xin shook her head. _No, that's impossible._

….

Aang returned to the others and informed them that the palace city was abandoned. Sokka believed that the Fire Lord was hiding in a secret bunker, and since the eclipse hadn't started yet, the group decided to find the Fire Lord before it was too late. Aang, Sokka, and Toph headed underground into the volcano and came across a large metal bunker in the earth. They went inside and searched the place for Ozai. The group stopped in front of a large pair of doors. It seemed like the right place, so Aang busted down the doors. Unfortunately, it wasn't the Fire Lord they found.

"So, you are alive after all."

The group gasped. At the end of the hall, waiting for them, was Azula. Aang mentally scolded himself. This had all been a trap.

Azula merely smirked at the group as she sat on her makeshift throne. "I had a hunch that you survived. It doesn't matter though. I've known about the invasion for months."

Aang aimed his staff at her. "Where is he? Where is the Fire Lord?"

"You mean I'm not good enough for you?" Azula stood and gave them an offended look. "You're hurting my feelings."

Sokka pulled out a long black sword. "Stop wasting our time and give us the information. You're powerless right now, so you're in no position to refuse."

Toph incased Azula in earth. "And stick to the truth."

But before any more could be said, the rock trapping Azula cracked and shattered, freeing her. Aang and Sokka had shocked expressions while Toph gasped. Azula wasn't an earthbender, so how did that happen?

"When I left Ba Sing Se, I brought home some souvenirs," Azula said, as a gang on Dai Li agents jumped out in front of her.

_The Dai Li? _Aang glared at her. They were wasting too much time. They needed to find the Fire Lord soon.

….

"So thirsty…." Cheng Xin wearily stared at the ground as she smacked her mouth open and closed.

It may have not been as hot as the magma chamber, but the weather was still fairly warm. But something about the sky seemed off to her. It was darker than usual even though it was mid-day. She looked up and saw a large, black circle nearly blocking the sun.

Cheng Xin blinked. _Wait…._ It was then that it dawn on her. The original plan the others had. They wanted to attack the Fire Nation on the day of a solar eclipse because the firebenders would lose their ability to bend. This meant…. _Katara, Sokka, Toph…are you guys really here?_

Holding onto the wall behind her for support, Cheng Xin brought herself to her feet. A light of hope ignited inside of her. She had to see if her suspicions were true. Yet, just as she was about to walk away, she paused. Cheng Xin recalled everything Tung said to her, and she looked out to the distance. Why was she bothering? The others wouldn't want to see her. They wouldn't care. She was the enemy now.

She looked around, thinking of where to go next. Where could she go? Cheng Xin coughed and walked off in a random direction. "Maybe I should find Master Tung."

….

Aang, Sokka, and Toph chased after Azula while battling against the Dai Li.

**"**I can't pin her down. She's too quick," Aang said.

Sokka watched Azula turn a corner. The whole entire time she hadn't put up a fight. He stopped running. "Wait! Aang, Toph, quit attacking." Toph and Aang paused and faced him. "Don't you see what she's doing? She's just playing with us. She's not even trying to win this fight!"

Azula rolled her eyes. It's about time they figured it out. "Not true, I'm giving it my all."

Aang furrowed his brow. "Okay, so what do we do? Just ignore her?"

Sokka nodded. "We don't have a choice. We just have to get out of here and find the Fire Lord on our own somehow."

Azula frowned. The eclipse wasn't over just yet; she had to stall them a little longer. "It's a trap. Don't say I didn't warn you."

"Ignore!" Sokka said, waving her off.

**"**So, Sokka's your name, right?" Azula folded her arms. "My favorite prisoner used to mention you all the time."

Sokka halted in his stride at her words. Aang stopped walking as well. They both glanced at Azula, their minds focused on two different people.

Azula grinned. "She was convinced that you were going to come rescue her. Of course, you never came, and she gave up on you."

"Who are you talking about?" Aang said.

"Does it really matter?" Azula gave them a mock yawn. "You've lost more than enough people because of your carelessness, haven't you?" She put her hands at her sides. "But if you're that curious, both the Kyoshi warrior and your little airbender are long gone."

_Kyoshi warrior?_ Sokka glared at Azula. _Suki…._ Letting out a yell, Sokka charged at Azula.

**"**Come and get it…." Azula smirked as she slipped two daggers into her hands from her wrist holders.

Toph sensed her action and quickly attached Azula's wrists to the wall behind her with rocks.

Sokka ran up to her. "Where is Suki !"

Aang pointed his staff at her. "And Cheng. What have you done with them?"

"What does it matter? I told you before; they're both long gone." Azula smirked at the frustrated expressions on their faces. _Just a little longer._

….

Cheng Xin collapsed on her knees from exhaustion. She had made it to the outskirts of the palace city, but she just couldn't walk anymore. She lay back on the hard ground and placed a hand to her neck, coughing. Her throat burned, and her head was spinning. She could hear more noise in the distance. Cheng Xin shifted her eyes in the direction of it and spotted a bunch of red, green, and blue dots. The red dots were the Fire Nation soldiers, but the others….

_It is them._ Cheng Xin closed her eyes as she continued to cough.

….

**"**Tell us where they are!" Sokka said.

Azula decided to keep her mouth shut and prolong the situation. Just a few seconds more. She could practically feel the sun peak out from behind the moon, ready to return her power to her. Through the walls, she suddenly heard a loud blast. Like lightning.

She smirked at Sokka, Aang, and Toph. "Oh. Sounds like the firebending's back on."

_What?_ Aang jumped back as Azula shot a blue fireball out from her foot.

She flipped upside down and broke her wrists away from the wall and dropped kicked at Sokka, who dodged out of the way.

**"**Dad's all the way at the end of the hall and down the secret stairway on the left. I'm sure he'll be more than happy to see you now," Azula said, before running off.

Sokka looked at the dial the mechanist gave him to clock the eclipse. Their time was up; the eclipse had ending. Sokka kicked the ground. "I fell for it! I used up all our time."

"It's not your fault, Sokka. Azula was ready for us. She had every move planned out," Toph said.

Sokka hung his head."And now it's too late."

"Maybe it's not too late. The eclipse is over, but I can face the Fire Lord anyway," Aang said.

Sokka shook his head. "No. I don't think that's a good idea."

Aang looked at the ground not pleased with what happened. "But I'm ready! I came here with a job to do and everyone's counting on me."

Toph placed a hand on his shoulder. "The Fire Lord knew we were coming this time. We thought we had surprise on our side but we didn't. It just wasn't our day. What we need to do now is go help our friends."

"I guess you guys are right." Aang sighed. They were right; they needed to warn the others and escape to safety.

….

Footsteps echoed through the palace as Tung rushed to the empty throne room.

_I can't believe it! The Avatar is actually alive! I must get that little girl back before…._ Tung ran past through the open door and paused. Cheng Xin was gone. _Damn, she escaped._

….

_"Now I realize that banishment is far too merciful a punishment for treason. Your punishment will be far steeper."_

Zuko couldn't believe he did it. He managed to redirect lightning. And his father. He actually stood up to his horrible father. But it was worth it. He was finally taking his destiny into his own hands, and now he could free his uncle and join the Avatar. Zuko headed out of the secret bunker to the palace prison.

Reaching the location, he noticed that the guards were all unconscious. Zuko raised an eyebrow to it, but he kept going. It was probably because of the major battle that was going on. Zuko made it to the cell and called out for his uncle. But all he found was an empty cell with broken bars and one of the guards lying sprawled out against the wall.

He grabbed the disorientated guard by the collar and demanded, "Where is my uncle?"

The guard looked at Zuko with fear. "He's gone. He busted himself out. I… I've never seen anything like it! He was like a one man army!"

Zuko frowned. His uncle was gone? But where did he go? How was he going to find him? Zuko left the prison, deciding what to do next. In the distance he could see the wave of war balloons and air ships heading out to finish off the invasion. The Avatar and his friends were there, so that's where he would go.

But before Zuko could head in that direction, he heard a voice. It sounded like someone coughing. "Hello?" Zuko furrowed his brow as the coughing continued.

He decided to investigate. Zuko walked around the corner, his fists held out defensively. He gasped at what he found. It was a small girl. She was lying on the ground, her body curled into a ball as she furiously hacked her lungs out. Her hair was in a messy bun, and she was dressed in a plain, red robe.

_Who is that? I think…I know her._ Zuko walked over to the girl and knelt down. "Hey, are you okay?"

Zuko noticed a pair of fans at the girl's side. He stared at her surprised. It couldn't be. He gently placed a hand under her chin and turned her face toward his. _The airbender girl. What was her name? Cheng Xin?_

He remembered that she was taken in as a captive; he never saw her after that. But it wasn't hard to tell what happened to her. She was covered in bruises and scars. In between coughs, Cheng Xin turned and her eyes widened with fear.

"Prince Zuko…what…I..." Cheng Xin coughed again and finally passed out.

"Wait…." Zuko looked at her worriedly.

Her breathing was shallow, and her body was really frail like she hadn't eaten in days. He examined some of her wounds; they were getting infected. She needed help. Zuko shifted his gaze from Cheng Xin to the air ships.

_Maybe this is my chance. I'll bring Cheng Xin back to her friends. _Zuko carefully lifted Cheng Xin up onto his back and wrapped her arms around her neck. "Hang on, I'll get you to safety."

He headed in the direction of the air docks.

….

Aang, Sokka, and Toph returned to the others and informed them that it had been a trap. They tried to escape, but the air ships destroyed the submarines they used to get to the city.

"How are we all going to escape?" Sokka said, looking at his father.

Hakoda shook his head. "We're not."

Sokka frowned, trying to come up with a quick idea. "Then our only choice is to stand and fight. We have the Avatar; we could still win!"

"Yes, with the Avatar we could still win. On another day." Hakoda looked at Sokka and Katara. "You kids have to leave. You have to escape on Appa together."

Katara ran to her dad. "What? We can't leave you behind. We won't leave anyone behind." She had already lost her mother. The idea of her father and the others being captured by the Fire Nation was too much.

"You're our only chance in a long run. You and Sokka have to go with Aang somewhere safe. It's the only way to keep hope alive," Hakoda said.

Another Water Tribe warrior named Bato stepped forward. "The youngest of our group should go with you. The adults will stay behind and surrender. We'll be prisoners, but we'll all survive this battle."

Aang sat on Appa, tears spilling out of his eyes as he listened to the others. He had failed again, and now their friends and family were going to be left to the mercy of the Fire Nation. He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned around to see Katara. She gave him a supportive smile even though Aang could see the pain in her eyes.

He stood and faced everyone. "Thank you all for being so brave and so strong. I'm going to make this up to you."

Katara, Sokka, Toph, the mechanist's son, Teo, and two other boys named the Duke and Haru boarded Appa. Giving their final sad farewell, Appa flew off into the distance.

Aang guided Appa north and glanced back at the group. "I know a place we can stay for a while. The Western Air Temple."

They flew off leaving the airships behind. Little did they know that there was an air balloon trailing them, and in it were Zuko and an unconscious Cheng Xin.


	19. Friend and Foe

Chapter Shi Jiu- Friend and Foe

_What…what happened? Where am I?_ Cheng Xin groaned as she slowly opened her eyes.

She was met with the blinding sun and rolled over onto her side, cringing. Cheng Xin frowned. Something didn't seem right. She felt like she was floating in mid-air, but she was lying on something solid.

"Hey, you're awake."

_That voice…. _Cheng Xin turned her head and came face to face with Zuko. "Aaaah!"

Zuko leant back from her loud scream. He furrowed his brow when he saw her cower back.

"Please, Prince Zuko, don't kill me." Cheng Xin knelt in front of him and bowed. "I'm sorry for not fighting the invasion. I was just too weak to."

He raised an eyebrow, thrown off by her actions. What was she talking about? He decided to just ease her worries. "No, it's okay. I'm not going to hurt you."

She slowly looked up at him. "What?"

"You're not in any danger." Zuko helped her up. "I rescued you."

Cheng Xin stumbled a little and regained her balance by holding onto the rail. "Rescued?" She blinked and noticed her surroundings. They were flying through the clouds in a hot air balloon. She looked back at him. "From what, Prince Zuko?"

"You don't have to call me that. It's just Zuko," he said.

She shook her head. "Yes I do. You're the Prince of the Fire Nation, and I have been trained to serve the royal family."

It was Zuko's turned to be confused. _Trained to serve us?_ Zuko stared at Cheng Xin. He had an idea of what kind of_ training_ she went through. "Look…Cheng Xin, you don't have to serve me. Or the Fire Nation for that matter. You're not a prisoner anymore."

Cheng Xin bowed again. "If you say so."

Zuko sighed. "No, you don't have to bow to me."

She flinched and straightened herself. "Sorry." Cheng Xin looked at the clouds that were passing by. "But…I don't understand."

"I found you unconscious on the ground. You're sick and your wounds need to be treated." Zuko walked over to the furnace of the balloon and bended more fire into it. "I'm taking you back to your friends, so they can help you."

_What?_ Cheng Xin eyes widened as she quickly turned around and glared at Zuko. "Why would you do that? I can't go back them!"

Zuko furrowed his brow. "Why not?"

She lost her nerve, not wanting to answer, and looked at her feet. Cheng Xin grimaced as she felt a burning feeling in her chest, and she started coughing.

"You should lay back down," Zuko said.

Cheng Xin held up her hand. "No, I'm fine." But her coughing continued, and her head began to feel dizzy again. She tripped backwards, falling on the floor. Cheng Xin rolled onto her side, hoping to relieve the stinging feeling in her lungs.

Zuko watched Cheng Xin, concerned, as he placed a small blanket over her. Why did she have that sudden outburst? What was wrong with him taking her back to her friends? Thinking for a minute, it finally dawned on him.

_The last time I saw her, she was working for my sister. Azula was threatening to kill her family if she didn't betray the Avatar._ Zuko raised a hand to his forehead and sighed. _That's why she doesn't want to return_. _She turned on her friends and probably still believes that the Avatar is dead._ He glanced at Cheng Xin. She had fallen back asleep. _I'll explain everything to her once she wakes up._

He returned to his spot at the front of the balloon and searched for the Avatar's bison. Luckily they were still within his sights. He didn't want to be too close for they might realize they were being followed, but he didn't want to lose their trail either. He noticed that the bison was starting to descend.

"Did they reach their destination already?" Zuko narrowed his eyes. He had an idea of where they were. After being forced to travel the whole world to search for the Avatar, Zuko was pretty much familiar with a lot of areas. He looked down past the clouds and saw a giant cavern. _Wait, I know this place._ He adjusted the air balloon, so he could descend. "The Western Air Temple." He had come there when he first started his journey three years ago. Zuko glanced back at Cheng Xin. For now, he needed to find somewhere to camp out.

….

Cheng Xin opened her to a giant, red cloth. She blinked, sitting up, and looked at her surroundings. _I'm in some kind of tent._ She glanced out of the opening. It was still daylight outside. She still felt worn out even though she finally had a decent sleep. _That's right. I was with Zuko. He was taking back to the others. But where am I now?_

She slowly got up and exited the tent. She suddenly heard someone talking.

"I guess I'm not that good at impersonations."

"Pri…Zuko?" Cheng Xin said, as she came across the Fire Nation Prince sitting against a log.

Hearing her voice, he looked in her direction. "Cheng Xin."

She nodded. "Where are we?"

"The Western Air Temple. I followed your friends here." Zuko stood. "Uh…how are you feeling?" Despite his decision, the situation felt really awkward. It wasn't that long ago that he was attacking Cheng Xin instead of helping her.

"Better…I guess." Cheng Xin plopped on the ground. "Right now, just hungry and thirsty."

"Oh." Zuko rushed over to his bag and brought her a canteen of water. "Here, drink this."

She took the canteen gratefully. "Thanks." Cheng Xin took a big gulp before asking, "So, my…_friends _are near by."

"Yes." Zuko sat beside her. "However…um…there are some things you should know. First of all…the Avatar is alive."

Cheng Xin gasped almost dropping the canteen in her hands. She looked at Zuko with disbelief. "What? But that can't be…I saw Azula strike him down with lightning. You should know; you were there."

"I know, but he survived. And he was the one who was leading the invasion against the Fire Nation palace," Zuko said.

_Aang is alive._ Tears came to Cheng Xin's eyes, her hope returning. The Fire Nation hadn't won just yet. Unfortunately, that didn't change anything for her. But there was something that didn't make sense. "Hold on, why are you here?"

Zuko blinked. "What?"

"You're the Fire Nation prince, the enemy. Even when you said that you were good, you still sided with your people and conquered Ba Sing Se." She jumped to her feet, but moved too fast and landed back on her behind.

"Uh yeah…about that…." Zuko frowned, knowing that the subject was going to come up sooner or later. He was already dreading his confrontation with the Avatar and the others. But maybe if he could convince Cheng Xin, she could help him smooth things over. "I've denounced my position as Fire Nation prince, and I no longer want to fight for the Fire Nation."

"But why?" Cheng Xin said.

"Because I realize that the war is wrong, and I want to do everything in my power to end it the right way and bring peace to the nations." Zuko scratched his head. "I can also help the Avatar by being his firebending teacher."

Cheng Xin felt her breath grow shallow, but shrugged it off. "So…where do I fit into all of this?"

Zuko folded his arms. "Well, you're the Avatar's friend. I just figured you'd rather be with them than locked in a prison." He raised an eyebrow when she looked away from him. "Look, I know you don't want to go back because of what happened in Ba Sing Se…."

"It's more than that." Cheng Xin looked at the ground and twilded her fingers. "I killed one of our friends."

"What?" Zuko said.

She started crying. "I didn't mean to, but I couldn't hold back because of Azula. There's no way the others want me back." Cheng Xin coughed again.

"Well, you need to." Zuko stood. "And if I can take the chance to confront them, so can you."

She nodded and let another cough. "Fine." Cheng Xin placed her hands over her mouth, coughing more.

Zuko helped her up. "Come on, we should head down there now."

….

"Wow, this place is amazing," Toph said, riggling her toes in the ground.

After walking a ways, Aang and others made it to the Western Air Temple. Unlike the others, it hung upside down under a cliff in a large cavern. Teo, The Duke, and Haru left to explore while the others set up camp.

Katara walked over to Aang. Now that they made it to a safe spot, it was time to figure out what they were going to do next. "I think we need to talk about some things."

"But I want to going exploring too," Aang said, ready to run off.

**"**We need to decide what we're gonna do now. And since you're the Avatar, maybe you should be a part of this," Katara said, sitting between her brother and Toph.

Aang sighed, feeling impatient. He really wasn't in the mood for this. "Fair enough." He folded his arms and looked away. "So, what's the new plan?"

Sokka smiled. "Well, if you ask me, the _new_ plan is the _old_ plan. You just need to master all four elements, and confront the Fire Lord before the comet comes."

Frowning, Aang turned away from them. **"**Oh, yeah, that's great. No problem…I'll just do that."

Katara noticed his expression. "Aang, no one said it's gonna be easy."

"Well, it's not even gonna be possible. Where am I supposed to get a firebending teacher?" Aang said, getting annoyed. Did everyone suddenly forget how rare it would be to find a _willing_ firebending teacher?

"Well…." Katara thought for a minute. "We could look for Jeong Jeong."

**"**Yeah right, like we'll ever run into Jeong Jeong again." Aang shook his head. By the time they would find him the comet would have already come and gone. "Oh well, guess we can't come up with anybody. Why don't we just take a nice tour around the temple?" He opened his glider and set out into the air with Momo.

**"**What's up with him?" Toph said.

Sokka shrugged, still thinking. "There's got to be someone who can teach him firebending."

"Yeah, but in the mean time, we need to get Aang to cooperate." Katara put her hands on her hips. "Everyone is counting on us to succeed."

….

"Are you sure this is safe?" Cheng Xin said, as she sat at the top of the cliff.

Zuko pulled out a large vine that was strong enough not to break and tossed it over the edge. "It's the only way to get to the temple."

Cheng Xin stood and looked at the cliff nervously. "I know I'm an airbender and all, but I'm in no condition to scale down this thing."

"It's okay; I'm with you." Zuko held out his hand. "Here, just climb on my back."

"Alright." Cheng Xin tried her best not to look down. She remembered when Aang told her that airbenders shouldn't be afraid of heights, but right now she couldn't help it. She shut her eyes as she wrapped her arms around Zuko's neck.

"Hold on tight," Zuko said, as he slid down the vine.

They landed on a large platform in the outskirts of the temple. Zuko let Cheng Xin down. She looked at everything, surprised.

She smiled. "Woah, the other two air temples I've been to looked nothing like this." Cheng Xin groaned, holding a hand over her mouth.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm feeling woozy again." She swayed a little, and he steadied her.

Zuko scanned the temple and spotted the air bison flying ahead. "Come on."

….

Katara frowned as Sokka, Toph, and her followed behind Aang on Appa. What was wrong with him? Why was he wasting time when they needed to plan? "Aang, can we talk about you learning firebending now?"

"What? The wind is too loud in my ears." Aang continued to ignore their pleas. He needed a break after their major failure. "Check out this loop." Aang loop-de-looped on his glider and landed back on the platform where they set up camp. He smiled when he heard the others land behind him.

"Come on, Aang, we need to start planning our future," Sokka said.

Aang nodded. "Ok. We can do that while I show you the giant Pai Sho table."

As Toph climbed off of Appa, she immediately sensed someone else who wasn't there before. Wait, it was two people. She gasped. _It couldn't be._ Toph called the others' attention and pointed behind them. "I think that'll have to wait."

Aang, Katara, and Sokka directed their attention to what Toph was talking about, and they gasped with shock as well. It was Zuko. Their expressions quickly changed to glares. Just what they needed, another fight.

Zuko stood there, feeling awkward. Well, here was his moment. **"**Hello, Zuko here." He shuffled nervously. "I know you must be surprised to see me here."

**"**Not really, since you've followed us all over the world," Sokka said, readying his boomerang.

"No, Appa, don't!"

Katara shifted her gaze to the bison and back to Zuko. Great, there were more of them. "Who's with you?"

"It's Princess," Toph said.

Aang's eyes widened, recognizing the nickname. "What?"

As if on cue, everyone spotted Cheng Xin crawling away from Appa as he continued to lick her with his large tongue.

"Come on, Appa, stop it." Cheng Xin coughed. "Please, it hurts."

_It is her. _Aang was about to run over to her when Sokka held out his arm in front of him.

Sokka shook his head. "Don't, it could be a trap."

Cheng Xin managed to stand up, her body now covered with slime. "It's not a trap. It's really me." She stepped forward, but her balance was too off to walk. She leaned against a tall pillar next to her.

Katara stared at Cheng Xin. It really was her. But what was she doing with Zuko? She saw Cheng Xin stumbled trying to walk over to them and quickly rushed to her side. Katara noticed her state. She was covered in bruises and scars. "Cheng, you're injured." She glared at Zuko. "What did you do to her?"

Zuko held up his hands in a surrendering way. "I didn't do anything. I rescued her."

"Please, you expect us to believe that!" Katara helped Cheng Xin over to the large water fountain behind them.

Aang saw Cheng Xin's condition as well. He bit his lip. Was it Zuko that did this?

Zuko shook his head. "I didn't. Just ask her yourself."

"He's right. Zuko didn't do this to me," Cheng Xin said.

Katara had her lay down. "I'm sure that's what he wants you to think. He's just using you to trick us."

"No, that's not it." Zuko sighed. He wasn't getting anywhere with them. "Look, I came here because I've changed, and I uh, I'm good now. And, well, I think I should join your group." He looked at Aang. "Oh, and I can teach firebending…to you."

Toph raised an eyebrow. "You want to what now?"

**"**You can't possibly think that any of us would trust you, can you? I mean, how stupid do you think we are?" Katara said, her stern glaze never wavering.

Sokka folded his arms. "Yeah, all you've ever done is try to hunt us down and capture Aang."

"I can understand why you wouldn't trust me, and I know I've made some mistakes in the past," Zuko said.

Sokka scoffed. "Like when you attacked our village?"

Katara nodded. "Or when you stole my mother's necklace and capture us?"

**"**Look, I admit I've done some awful things." Zuko sighed again. "I was wrong to try to capture you, and I'm sorry that I attacked the Water Tribe. And I never should've sent that Fire Nation assassin after you."

Eyes widening, Sokka pointed his boomerang at Zuko. "Wait, you sent Combustion Man after us?"

_Combustion Man?_ Cheng Xin furrowed her brow. Things weren't going well. She had to say something. Cheng Xin sat up and whispered, "Katara…."

Katara gently pushed her back down. "Not now. You're hurt. Let us take care of this." She looked at Zuko. "See. Do you realize what we went through because of what you did?"

"That guy locked me and Katara in jail and tried to blow us all up," Toph said.

Zuko dropped his head, feeling defeated. They didn't believe him. He glanced at Aang. The Avatar was the only one who hadn't voiced his opinion. "Why aren't you saying anything? You once said you thought we could be friends. You know I have good in me."

Aang stood there pondering. He was always one to take the high road and see the positive side of things, but this time he just couldn't bring himself to. This was the person who been trying to capture and kill him since Katara and Sokka first found him in the South Pole. However, that didn't explain Cheng Xin. Zuko had brought her with him. But why? Was it just so he could lure them into a false sense of security?

Looking at his friends, Aang knew they wouldn't agree to have someone like Zuko hanging around. And he definitely wasn't going to force them. Aang shook his head and narrowed his eyes at Zuko. "There's no way we can trust you after everything you've done. We'll never let you join us."

"You need to get out of here, now," Katara said.

Zuko approached them. "I'm trying to explain that I'm not that person anymore."

Sokka raised his boomerang. "Either you leave, or we attack."

"If you won't accept me as a friend…." Zuko went on his knees. "Then maybe you'll take me as a prisoner."

Katara bending water out of her pouch and stuck Zuko, knocking him back. "No, we won't!" She glared at him. "Get out of here and don't come back. And if we ever see you again…well, we'd better not see you again!"

Cheng Xin looked at everyone and watched Zuko start to walk off. _But…he helped me._ Despite another fury of coughs overwhelming her, she sat up. "You guys, wait a minute."

Zuko glanced at her from the corner of his eye. "Stay with your friends." He left and disappeared into another part of the temple.

Katara furrowed her brow as she shifted her gaze between the spot Zuko was in and Cheng Xin. Why was she speaking up for him? She frowned. The Fire Nation must have really warped her mind.

She returned to Cheng Xin's side and examined her wounds. She saw the imprints and scars from where her cuffs were. "These bruises…I'll do my best to heal them." She absorbed water over her hands and started with Cheng Xin's wrists.

Cheng Xin was about to speak when she felt someone hug her. "A…Aang?" She coughed. "Too tight."

"Sorry." Aang pulled back and looked at her. "We've missed you."

"Yeah, things weren't the same without you," Toph said, walking over to the fountain.

"But I don't understand." Tears swelled up in Cheng Xin's eyes. "I…I betrayed all of you. And Jet…how could you just forgive me?"

Sokka folded his arms and leaned against the pillar behind him. "It's because we know what happened."

"I didn't mean to." Cheng Xin wiped her face. "Katara and Jet were away when I ran into Azula and the others pretending to be the Kyoshi warriors. They captured me and then…."

"It's okay, Cheng." Katara sighed and gave her a reassuring smile. "Azula threatened your grandparents' lives. It was a difficult situation."

"The important thing is that you've returned where you belong," Aang said.

"And what happened to you?" Katara moved on to the large bruise on Cheng Xin's neck. "Your whole body is beaten up."

"They locked me in prison." Cheng Xin placed a hand over her mouth, trying to control her coughs. "Do you guys have any food?"

"Yeah." Katara helped her to her feet. "Come on. We'll get you fixed up, then you can rest."

….

It was later that evening, and the group was sitting around a small campfire. Cheng Xin still felt awkward around the others, but was glad they were still her friends. She had been given soup and water and was lying in a sleeping bag. Katara managed to mend most of her wounds, but some were taking a longer time to heal.

"Now that we've gotten settled, what are we going to do about Zuko?" Sokka sat on a rock. "He obviously wants to lead us into some kind of trap."

Katara folded her arms. "I know. And why would he try to fool us like that?" She shook her head. "This is just like what happened in Ba Sing Se. He started talking about his mother, and making it seem like he was an actual human being with feelings."

**"**He wants you to trust him and feel sorry for him, so you let your guard down, _then_ he strikes," Sokka said.

**"**The thing is, it worked." Katara frowned at the memory. "I did feel sorry for him. I felt like he was really confused and hurt. But obviously when the time came, he made his choice, and we paid the price. We can't trust him."

"But then why did he help me?" Cheng Xin sat up. "Don't get me wrong, I was suspicious of him too. But I don't think he's that bad."

Katara shook her head at her. "He was lying to you, Cheng. Although, I'm glad that you're here, I can't believe that he helped you for the sake of doing the right thing."

"Actually, he wasn't lying," Toph said.

"What?" Katara raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

Toph shrugged. She wasn't too crazy about Zuko either, but she was _seeing_ something else that the others weren't. "I'm just saying that considering his messed-up family, and how he was raised, he could've turned out a lot worse."

**"**You're right, Toph." Katara rolled her eyes. "Let's go find him and give him, The _not as much of a jerk as you could have been_ award."

"All I know is that while he was talking to us, he was sincere." Toph furrowed her brow. "Maybe you're all just letting your hurt feelings keep you from thinking clearly."

"Easy for you to say, you weren't there when he had us attacked by pirates," Katara said.

Sokka scoffed. "Or when he burned down Kyoshi Island."

Aang nodded. "Or when he tried to capture me at the fire temple."

**"**Why would you even _try_ to defend him?" Katara said.

"Because, Katara, you're all ignoring one crucial fact." Toph stomped the ground with her foot. "Aang needs a firebending teacher. We can't think of a _single_ person in the world to do the job. Now one shows up on a silver platter, you guys won't even think about it?"

"Toph's right." Cheng Xin reclined back against her arms. "The only other willing firebender was Jeong Jeong, and he's long gone. Besides, this isn't about your guys' feelings." She sighed. "When I thought Aang was dead, I lost all hope. I thought the Fire Nation had won." Cheng Xin looked at Aang. "But you're not dead. You're here, and you need to win this war. And that means doing whatever it takes to defeat Fire Lord Ozai. There's no room to be picky."

Aang paused, feeling caught in between. Katara and Sokka were against Zuko while Toph and Cheng Xin were for him. And both sides were making logical arguments. Still…this _was_ Zuko they were talking about.

"I'm not having Zuko as my teacher," Aang said.

Sokka grinned. "You're darn right you're not, buddy."

**"**Well, I guess that's settled," Katara said.

Toph groaned, frustrated. "I'm beginning to wonder who's _really_ the blind one around here." She stormed away from them.

Katara folded her arms and shifted her sitting position. "Can you believe her?"

Cheng Xin closed her eyes and lay back down. "You guys are making a mistake."

"And what makes you say that? You know Zuko is the enemy," Sokka said.

She nodded. "Yes, I do. And even though I wasn't around during the events you guys mentioned, I _was_ there at the North Pole when Zuko captured Aang. And I _was _at Ba Sing Se when Zuko was originally saying that he changed. But…the truth is…I don't care anymore. I just want this war over, and Aang needs to learn firebending."

"I'm sorry, Cheng, but we're just going to have to find another way," Aang said.

Katara looked at her. "And after the way the Fire Nation tortured you, why would you want Zuko around anyway?"

"I…I don't know." Cheng Xin placed a hand to her head. Her mind had been messed with by Tung, and now all it did was make her confused. Did she only care about Zuko because she was forced to be loyal to the Fire Nation? No, Toph's argument was why. And it was the one thing Cheng Xin was completely sure of. "I just want the war over. That's all I'm saying." She rolled onto her side and went to sleep.


	20. Tensions

Chapter Er Shi- Tensions

"Cheng…Cheng are you awake?"

"Huh…what?" Cheng Xin slowly opened her eyes and yawned. She blinked and turned around to see Aang. "What is it?"

"I need to talk to you," Aang said, sitting beside her.

Cheng Xin sat up. "About what?"

Aang sighed and folded his arms. "First, I want to say, I'm sorry."

"Sorry?" Cheng Xin furrowed her brow. "What do you mean?"

"It was all my fault that we lost in Ba Sing Se. I was stubborn and didn't finish my training with the Guru. If I had, none of this would have happened." Aang reclined back, a disappointed look on his face. "I'm just making a mess of things."

Cheng Xin sat there unsure of what to say. She stared at Aang. He looked so upset. "Look, Aang, I know this is bothering you. But the situation couldn't be helped, and we can't go back in time to change it. All we can do know is focus on what's to come."

Aang shook his head. "It doesn't matter. I almost lost you again. I can't bare to lose anymore of our people to the Fire Nation."

"Well, I'm here now. And everything is fine." Cheng Xin yawned. "But I know I can never go home again."

"What do you mean?" Aang looked at her worriedly. "Did something happen to your grandparents?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. But that's not why. It's because of us." Cheng Xin sighed. "I had convinced myself that I should be with you because it's what they wanted. But I can't. It's not fair to you or me. Our people will just have to die out."

"Cheng…." Aang looked out toward the sky. "I'm sorry you had to go through all this because of your grandparents."

"It's not your fault." She held her hands to her forehead. "I'm just so confused."

Aang placed a hand on her shoulder. "I promise everything will be fine."

"And what about you? How are you going to learn firebending? Without it, you won't be able to defeat the Fire Lord," Cheng Xin said.

"I know. I know." Aang turned away. "But my teacher won't be Zuko."

Cheng Xin raised an eyebrow. "But could you at least _think_ about it. I mean…is your grudge against him really worth losing this war?"

Aang stood up. "I don't know."

"Okay…." Cheng Xin lay back down. "Goodnight, Aang."

"Goodnight, Cheng," he said, returning to his sleeping bag.

….

It was the next morning, and the group was eating breakfast.

Katara was handing out rice from a large pot when she noticed that someone was missing. "Has anyone seen Toph?"

"I haven't seen her since she stormed off yesterday," Sokka said.

Haru glanced around. "Maybe she's just exploring the air temple. There are some pretty fun spots to practice earthbending."

"I don't know." Katara bit her lip. "I think we should go look for her."

"We can go check for her," The Duke said.

Teo nodded. "Yeah, I want to ride that tunnel down to the hall of statues again. It'll work a lot better now that I fixed my brakes."

Katara frowned. "I hope she's okay."

Sokka shrugged. "Ah, let her play with her rocks. I'm not in the mood to have her yell at us again."

Cheng Xin took another mouth full of her rice, grateful to have some real food again. "Maybe she went to see Zuko."

Aang, Sokka, and Katara stared at her. "What?"

"Uh…." Cheng Xin shrunk back under their gaze. "It was just a guess. I mean she seemed pretty intent on having him help us, an…and nobody's seen her."

"Nah uh, no way." Sokka shook his head and folded his arms. "Toph would never be that foolish."

The wall around the corner caved in, and the four of them rushed over to see what it was. It was Toph. She crawled out from the hole in the wall.

_Wait, why is she crawling?_ Katara ran over to her. "Toph, what happened?"

Toph groaned as she brought herself forward. "My feet got burned."

Katara examined Toph's feet. They were red and scarred. "Oh no, what happened?"

"My feet got burned."

"I meant how," Katara said.

Toph frowned, already sensing a lecture afterward. "Well, I kind of went to see Zuko last night."

Sokka and Aang looked at Cheng Xin.

Cheng Xin smiled sheepishly. "Uh, lucky guess."

"I thought he could be helpful to us. And if I talked to him, maybe we could work something out," Toph said.

Aang walked over to her. "And he attacked you?"

She shook her head. "Well, he did and he didn't. It was sort of an accident."

"But he did firebend at you?" Aang said.

Toph sighed. "Yes."

Sokka looked at Toph disapprovingly. "See, you trusted Zuko and you got burned…literally."

"But Toph did say it was an accident. Zuko is hiding in the forest by himself. He might've thought she was someone else," Cheng Xin said.

"That not the point, Cheng." Katara bended water over Toph's feet. "It's gonna take a while for your feet to get better. I wish I could've worked on them sooner."

Toph half-smiled. "Yeah, me too."

"Zuko's clearly too dangerous to be left alone. We're gonna have to go after him," Sokka said.

Aang nodded. "I hate to go looking for a fight, but you're right. We're gonna have to go after him."

Sokka and Aang picked Toph up and carried her to the fountain.

Toph sighed with relief as she dipped her feet into the cool water. "Yeah, that's the stuff. Now I know how the rest of you guys feel. Not being able to see with your feet stinks."

Katara looked at Cheng Xin. "So, you said you know where Zuko is hiding?"

Cheng Xin slowly nodded. "Yeah, but what do you guys plan to do?"

Sokka thought for a minute. "He's crafty, but I'm sure we can figure out a way to capture him."

"Maybe we can invite him back here. He's already offered himself up as a prisoner before," Toph said.

"Yeah." Sokka grinned. "Get to come back and say he'll be our prisoner, and then we'll jump him and really make him our prisoner. He'll never suspect it."

Katara rolled her eyes. "You are a master of surprise, Sokka."

Cheng Xin laughed as she watched the others. _Just like old times._ It felt good to be around her friends again.

Out of nowhere, something blasted into the ceiling they were under. Parts of the ceiling crumbled off, and the temple shook like an earthquake.

Cheng Xin jumped to her feet, her eyes darting around. "What in the world was that?"

The others got on their guard. Katara stood by Cheng Xin as Aang and Sokka carried Toph to safety.

"It couldn't be," Katara said.

Another blast struck the pillars, and the group ran out of the way.

Cheng Xin pulled out her fans from the tie around her robe. She had gained a little more strength to fight. "What's going on?"

"It's Combustion Man," Sokka said, as they ducked behind the fountain.

_What?_ Cheng Xin covered her head with her arms as another blast hit the temple. "You mean that assassin Zuko hired?"

_"Stop! I don't want you hunting the Avatar anymore!"_

The gang peered out from their hiding place to see what was going on. Cheng Xin gasped. Combustion man was scary. His right arm and legs were covered with metal, and there was this strange marking in the center of his forehead. And Zuko was protecting them.

He stood in front of Combustion man, his arms spread out in an attempt to block him. "The mission is off. I'm ordering you to stop!"

But the assassin just shoved Zuko away and attacked the gang again. He took a deep breath and shot out a ball of energy from the marking in his forehead. The attack destroyed the fountain, making the gang run behind the wall.

Cheng Xin's expression was filled with shock. _That guy can shoot things with his mind? _

Zuko ran back over to the assassin he hired. He had to stop him. "If you keep attacking, I won't pay you!" Zuko punched at Combustion Man, but he blocked the attack and pushed him to the ground. "All right, I'll pay you double to stop!"

Combustion Man turned toward Zuko and blasted an attack straight at him. Zuko created a shield of fire around himself, but was pushed back over the edge of the platform they were standing on.

Aang ran out from behind the wall, creating a large tornado and shot it out at Combustion Man. But he easily jumped over it and sent another blast at Aang, who ducked back behind the wall. This time Katara ran out and bended water out of the fountain. She raised it into the air and changed into icicles that bombarded him. Unfortunately, Combustion Man was able to block the attack with his metal arm and leg.

Katara ran behind the wall as another blast came straight at her. "I can't step out to waterbend at him without getting blown up. And I can't get a good enough angle on him from down here."

"Maybe I should try," Cheng Xin said.

Aang held her back. "No, it's too dangerous, and you still need to recover."

Sokka snapped his fingers as he pulled out his boomerang. "I know how to get an angle on him." Sneaking over to the edge of the wall, Sokka lined up the blasts to locate where Combustion Man was. "All right, buddy, don't fail me now."

He threw his boomerang, and it hit Combustion Man in the marking on his forehead dead on, knocking him back on the ground. The group peaked out from their hiding place.

Cheng Xin furrowed her brow. "Is he dead?"

Sokka jumped up and cheered. "Yay, boomerang!"

"Wait, look!" Katara said, pointing up.

Combustion Man was defeated and was getting back up. The gang ran back behind the wall as Combustion Man began to attack again.

"How are we going to defeat him?" Aang said.

Katara shook her head, worried. "I don't know if we can."

Suddenly they heard an explosion that was must louder than the others. The whole place shook as a large part of the temple broke off and fell into the abyss below. The gang ran back out and saw that Combustion Man was gone.

"What happened? Is he gone?" Toph said.

Sokka looked at the spot where the assassin originally was. "I think so."

"But what happened?" Katara looked around. "What made that blast?"

Aang glanced at the ledge. "Zuko?"

"What?" Cheng Xin said.

He pointed up and the others followed with their eyes. On the ledge, they saw Zuko climbing back up on a vine. Was he the one that defeated Combustion Man?

"He…saved us?" Sokka said.

Cheng Xin folded her arms. "It looks that way."

"It still doesn't mean anything," Katara said, putting her hands on her hips.

Toph sat on a rock. "Still, maybe we should just hear him out."

Katara scoffed. "If you say so."

The group watched with skeptical eyes as Zuko made his way over to them. This time Aang was the first to speak.

"I can't believe I'm saying but…thanks Zuko," he said.

Sokka pouted. "Hey, what about me? I did the boomerang thing."

Cheng Xin laughed and patted him on the back. "You did good too." She smirked when Sokka folded his arms proudly. "But not good enough to defeat the bad guy." She giggled when he glared at her.

Zuko stepped forward, ready to try again. Hopefully this time he would be able to get his message across. "Listen, I know I didn't explain myself very well yesterday. I've been through a lot in the past few years, and it's been hard. But I'm realizing that I had to go through all those things to learn the truth. I thought I had lost my honor, and that somehow my father could return it to me. But I know now that no one can give you your honor. It's something you earn for yourself by choosing to do what's right. All I want now is to play my part in ending this war. And I know my destiny is to help you restore balance to the world."

Aang shifted his gaze from Cheng Xin to Zuko. Maybe she was right. Maybe they should give him a chance.

Zuko faced Toph. "I'm sorry for what I did to you_._" He gave Toph a small bow. "It was an accident. Fire can be dangerous and wild. So as a firebender, I need to be more careful and control my bending so I don't hurt people unintentionally."

This struck a nerve in Aang, but in a good way. "I think you _are_ supposed to be my firebending teacher." He walked over to Zuko. "When I first tried to learn firebending, I burned Katara. And after that, I never wanted to firebend again. But now I know you understand how easy it is to hurt the people you love." Aang bowed to Zuko. "I'd like you to teach me."

Zuko smiled and bowed back. At last, he did it. "Thank you. I'm so happy you've accepted me into your group."

Aang held up a hand. "Not so fast. I still have to ask my friends if it's ok with them." He turned around. "Toph, you're the one that Zuko burned. What do you think?"

Toph paused and thought for a minute. She shrugged. "Go ahead and let him join." She grinned. "It'll give me plenty of time to get back at him for burning my feet."

"Cheng?" Aang said.

"Well, if it wasn't for Zuko I wouldn't be with you guys right now." Cheng Xin nodded. "So…yeah, he can stay."

Aang looked at Sokka. "What about you?"

Sokka folded his arms. "All I want is to defeat The Fire Lord. If you think this is the way to do it, then I'm all for it."

Nodding, Aang finally faced Katara. "Katara?"

Katara didn't make eye contact with Zuko. She felt that this was a horrible idea, but for the sake of the war…. She looked at Aang. "I'll go along with whatever _you_ think is right."

Aang smiled and nodded at Zuko.

_They accepted me._ Zuko smiled as he walked over to them. "I won't let you down; I promise."

Everyone walked away from him, but Zuko didn't mind. It was going to take a while for all of them to completely trust him. But he'd find a way, he was sure of it.

The group headed inside the temple where the rooms were.

Katara walked over to Cheng Xin. "Come on, you need another healing session." She turned toward Toph who was being carried by Sokka. "And I'll help you afterward. Sokka, bring her into my room."

Sokka nodded and rested Toph on the bed. He left the girls in the room to talk.

"Well, I'm glad that's over," Cheng Xin said, reclining on the floor.

Toph lay back on the bed. "I'll say."

Katara closed the door and shook her head. "Hmph."

Cheng Xin raised an eyebrow. "What's your problem?"

Katara sat on the floor, a frown on her face, and roughly grabbed Cheng Xin's arm. "Isn't it obvious."

"Well…yeah…." Cheng Xin flinched. "Um, should I come back after you've cooled down?"

"I'm fine," Katara said, squeezing Cheng Xin's wrist too hard.

Cheng Xin groaned and mumbled, "I wish I could say the same for my wrist."

"Well, if you don't like the way I heal, then you can just sit here in pain!" Katara quickly sat up and stormed out of the room.

"Geez, Sugar Queen sure is moody," Toph said.

Sighing, Cheng Xin sprawled herself out on the floor. "It's because of Zuko."

Toph shook her head. "This journey is going to be interesting."

….

It was in the next night. Aang had started his training with Zuko, but for some strange reason Zuko lost his ability to bend. In order to figure out why, Zuko and Aang decided to search for the original source of firebending. They left the temple and headed for the civilization of the Sun Warriors.

Meanwhile Katara, Sokka, Toph, and Cheng Xin were sitting around a campfire.

"Are you going to eat your rice, Katara, or are you gonna make soup out of it?" Cheng Xin said.

Katara slammed her bowl on the ground. "This is such a bad idea."

"What is?" Sokka said.

"Letting Aang travel with Zuko alone, what else?" Katara folded her arms. "I still don't think we can trust him."

Cheng Xin raised an eyebrow. "No offense, but why are you so angry? I mean we've already made the decision to let him stay."

Katara huffed. "And why are you guys so calm about it? I know this is for the sake of the war, but that makes no difference to me. I can't trust him after what happened in Ba Sing Se. He betrayed us."

"I don't see how. I never believed he was on our side in the first place." Cheng Xin sighed. "I mean it was already a risk when I let him go."

"What do you mean?" Katara said.

Cheng Xin set her bowl down and leaned against the rock behind her. "Back in Ba Sing Se, after Azula forced me on her side, she put me in charge of guarding Zuko. Apparently, he had been captured by his sister."

Katara rolled her eyes. "It was probably just a trap."

She nodded. "That's what I thought too. In fact, if it wasn't for what happened at Lake Laogai, I wouldn't have believed him at all."

"Lake Laogai?" Sokka blinked. "What are you talking about?"

_That's right, I never got around to telling them. _Cheng Xin bit her lip. "Well, I have a confession to make. You guys gave me the credit for finding Appa and bringing him back, but it's not true. It was actually Zuko and his Uncle Iroh that helped me."

Katara's eyes widened. "What…?"

"You see, Long Feng had put me under a trance again and placed me in Lake Laogai to make sure no one could set Appa free." Cheng Xin scratched her head. "I guess I had a fight with Zuko or something…I don't know. But when I woke up, him and his Uncle were there. Iroh wanted to help to me escape. I was reluctant at first, but I went along with it anyway."

"Are you serious? You mean they didn't capture you or attack you?" Sokka said.

Toph swallowed another mouthful of rice. "But it was Iroh that helped us in Ba Sing Se."

"I had my suspicions…." Cheng Xin shrugged. "But they didn't hurt me, and I was able to leave with Appa."

Katara suddenly stood up and glared down at Cheng Xin. "So let me get this straight. You knew that Zuko was in Ba Sing Se the entire time, and you didn't tell us!"

"Well, I was going to, but his Uncle told me not to reveal that they were Fire Nation. He said that they just wanted to live a peaceful life in Ba Sing Se. And since they helped me, I kinda figured I owed them," she said.

Frowning, Katara shook her head. She couldn't fully blame Cheng Xin. Zuko's Uncle was good, and he helped her escape with Aang after he was struck down by Azula. But still…. Katara put her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes at Cheng Xin. "Yeah, well I lot of good that did us! Because of you trusting the Fire Nation, we lost Ba Sing Se, we lost the Eclipse, and now all of our friends and family are in jail!"

Sokka furrowed his brow. "Uh, Katara, maybe you should calm down."

"No, Sokka, let her finish." Cheng Xin stood up and met Katara's gaze. "And how is any of that my fault? I didn't trust the Fire Nation! I was forced to take their side! I thought you understood that before when you said you _forgave_ me."

"I only said that because you're our friend. I could understand the circumstances. But that doesn't excuse this! Do you realize how things could have turned out differently if you had told us?" Katara said.

Cheng Xin folded her arms. "Nothing would have changed. Even if we captured Zuko and Iroh, it wouldn't have affected anything. Because it was all Azula. She was the one who captured me, and threatened my grandparents, and persuaded the Dai Li to betray their King, and persuaded Zuko to stay with his nation! The reason why we lost in Ba Sing Se wasn't because of me; it was because of all of us!" She looked away. "We just weren't good enough to win."

Katara scoffed. "That's what you think."

"Yeah, that is what I think," Cheng Xin said.

"Well, I think you're wrong." Katara ran a hand through her hair. "I still can't believe you didn't tell us."

Cheng Xin sighed again. "What do you want from me; I'm only eleven. But if it makes you feel any better, I'm sorry, okay."

Katara looked at the floor, pondering her thoughts. She shook her head to herself and glanced up. "Cheng…."

She turned away. "I'm going for a walk."

Sokka watched Cheng Xin disappear into another part of the temple. "Katara, what's your problem? Why were you giving her such a hard time?"

"Cheng Xin has always been so…I don't know." Katara slumped onto the floor. "Pliable." She closed her eyes. "Everything she does is for other people, and she can't make up her own mind for herself. I constantly tried to tell her that she didn't have to marry Aang, but she was bent on doing so because of her grandparents. And the same thing happened with Zuko. He helps her a few times, and she completely drops her better judgment and trusts him."

"That's funny. I never took Cheng Xin for that kind of person." Toph picked her nose. "She's always been loyal and helpful and willing to fight to protect the ones she cares about."

"And she's easy to talk to even though she doesn't have much advice." Sokka looked at his sister. "Are you sure it's Cheng Xin you're mad at, or is it something else?"

Katara sat still in silence, lost in thought. She knew Cheng Xin wasn't bad. She sighed. "No, I'm not mad at Cheng Xin. I mean, I'm not going to lie. When I originally thought she betrayed us, I was hurt. Especially after what happened to Jet. But it couldn't be helped. I'm just worried about her I guess."

Little did the three of them know that Cheng Xin had been listening to the conversation from another room. It was her luck that the temple echoed.

She folded her arms and leaned against the wall. _I can't think for myself?_

Cheng Xin shook her head as she walked out into the open area of the temple. She sat down on the edge of the ledge and looked up at the sky. Cheng Xin frowned. She couldn't change the mistakes she made in the past. She made her choices, and some things were done out of her control. But things were different now. She had changed. She wasn't the same little girl living in her village waiting for something to happen. No, she was a bender, a fighter, herself.

"Grandfather, Grandmother, forgive me. I hope someday you'll understand my decision," she said, staring at the stars and hoping they could hear her somehow.

Cheng Xin pulled out the amulet from underneath her clothes. She traced the swirls engraved into it, her thoughts wandering. Opening it, she pulled out the pieces parchment.

"I have a place in this war too." She reread the clues on the small slips and looked back out toward the sky. "And it's to uncover what my great grandmother left behind."

_To retrieve the final piece, find the place hidden under the Fire Lord's eye._


	21. The Fire Lord's Eye

Chapter Er Shi Yi- The Fire Lord's Eye

Katara, Sokka, Toph, Cheng Xin, Teo, Haru, and The Duke were sitting in a circle watching Zuko and Aang firebend.

**"**With this technique the dragons showed us, Zuko and I will be unstoppable," Aang said, as he and Zuko finished a synchronized move.

Sokka applauded. "Yeah, that's a great dance you two learned there."

Zuko folded his arms. "It's not a dance. It's firebending form."

"We'll just tap-dance our way to victory," Sokka said, waving him off.

Frowning, Zuko walked over to Sokka. "It's a sacred form that happens to be thousands of years old!"

Katara raised an eyebrow. "Oh yeah? What's your little form called?"

Zuko paused, realizing what he was going to say. He sighed and half-mumbled, "The Dancing Dragon."

"Sounds like a dance to me," Toph said.

Cheng Xin clapped her hands and smiled. "Well, I'm happy you were finally able to get the hang of firebending, Aang."

Aang nodded. "Me Too. Now I can really start training." He folded his arms and grinned at her. "And speaking of training…." Aang placed a hand on Cheng Xin's shoulder. "You need to continue yours."

"Okay." Cheng Xin stood up and smirked. "Awesome. This'll be just like when we were in the North Pole, and you were learning from Master Pakku."

Toph tilted her head to the side. "How's that?"

"Because both Aang and I can complain about having to train." Cheng Xin grabbed her fans from the back of her tie. "So, are we going to start now?"

Aang shrugged. "I don't see why not. It's been a while, so I can test how far you've gotten with your skills."

Cheng Xin and Aang walked into another part of the temple to practice and left the others to talk.

Haru sat beside Katara. "So what's the story behind her? I thought Aang was the only airbender left?"

"From what we were told, Cheng Xin was born in the Earth Kingdom to a family of earthbenders. But one of her ancestors was an airbender that escaped the genocide," Katara said.

"So she's the only airbender in her family?" Teo said.

Katara nodded. "Yes. And as far as we know, she's the only other one left. We haven't run into any other airbenders during our journey." She sighed. "It's so sad. I can't believe a whole entire culture got wiped out because of the Fire Nation."

Zuko leaned against a pillar. "Yeah, well that's a reputation the Fire Nation has become famous for." He narrowed his eyes at the floor. _And it's only going to get worse._

….

Aang and Cheng Xin stood opposite each other, their hands out defensively.

"Ready?" Aang said.

Cheng Xin nodded. She pushed her palm forward, releasing a blast of air. Aang flipped backwards and cut through her attack with a slice of air. Running toward him, Cheng Xin leaped over him and shot a wall of air at his back.

Aang quickly turned around and blocked it. He smiled. "Good, keeping going."

She dashed toward him again. Aang took a deep breath and blew, sending a huge stream of air at her. The force was too strong and even though she held her ground, it was pushing her backwards. Cheng Xin grabbed her fans and stretched out her arms. She spun in a circle creating a small tornado around herself that redirected the air back at Aang. He created an air scooter and rode it out of the way. Cheng Xin ceased her attack and made an air scooter as well.

Cheng Xin chased Aang within the circumference they were sparing in when she stopped abruptly. The scooter underneath her feet faded, and she stood on the ground holding her side.

Aang noticed her pause and went over to her. "Are you okay?"

"I think so. I might've overdone it." She coughed. "I still haven't fully recovered yet."

Aang placed a hand on her shoulder. "Right. You should probably take a break. Let's go back to the others." He walked beside her. "You've gotten better."

"You really think so?" Cheng Xin said.

He nodded. "Yeah, you have most of the fundamentals down. It won't be long until we move onto more advanced stuff."

"You guys done?"

Cheng Xin and Aang looked up to see Zuko standing in their path.

Aang smiled and bowed. "Yes, Sifu Hotman."

"Hotman?" Cheng Xin said, raising an eyebrow.

Zuko muttered something under his breath before facing Aang. "I think now would be a good time to start your real training with firebending."

"Right." Aang bowed to Cheng Xin. "Rest up, okay."

She bowed back. "Yes, Sifu Aang."

Cheng Xin found a rock to sit on and watched Aang train with Zuko. It was then that a thought occurred to her. Zuko was Prince of the Fire Nation. A royal. Surely he knew everything about his nation, including the secret inner workings of their society. Cheng recalled the clue on the piece of parchment from the amulet.

_Under the Fire Lord's eye?_ Cheng Xin looked at Zuko. _He has to know._

….

Later that afternoon everyone was scattered across the temple doing various tasks. Cheng Xin found Zuko in his room.

"Uh, excuse me, Zuko? She said, standing in the open doorway.

He looked up. "What is it?"

Cheng Xin shuffled into the room. "Uh, there is something I need to ask about."

"Uh, sure," Zuko said, nodding.

She walked over to him and pulled out her amulet. "See this. It's an amulet that belonged to my great grandmother."

Zuko examined the amulet. It had the markings of the Air Nomad insignia. "You mean the airbender you're descended from?"

"Yeah." Cheng Xin opened the amulet. "But there was something else I discovered about it." She took out the two items she had found. "I don't know what it's for, but these two pieces are supposed to form some kind of relic. I found the first inside of the amulet, and the second at the Eastern Air Temple. But it's the clue I found afterward that I need help with."

Cheng Xin handed Zuko the piece of parchment, and he read it. "To retrieve the final piece, find the place hidden under the Fire Lord's eye." Zuko blinked and looked at her.

She shrugged. "I figured you would know what it meant."

Zuko scratched his head. "Well, uh, were they any other clues?"

Cheng Xin shook her head. "No." She folded her arms. "I'm assuming it has something to do with the palace."

"But your great grandmother was an airbender right?" Zuko paused as she nodded. "If that's the case, then what you're looking for couldn't be in the royal palace."

She sat beside him. "What do you mean?"

"I mean there's no way she could have hidden something right in the heart of the Fire Nation. Especially at the beginning of the war," he said.

"But…." Cheng Xin frowned. This was just making things more complicated. "It said it was under the Fire Lord's eye. When I was captured, I was brought to Fire Lord Ozai's throne room. I don't know, the clue seemed like something that the Fire Lord could see but wouldn't know it was there."

Zuko thought for a minute. _So, Cheng Xin's ancestor left behind something for her to find. Whatever it is, it must be valuable. But I don't remember hearing about anything being hidden in the throne room. Then again, there was that Old Sage Temple that Uncle had me go to._ He handed the piece of parchment back to Cheng Xin. "Whatever it is you're looking for, it's not in the palace city."

Cheng Xin sighed. "But then what does it mean? My great grandmother couldn't have sent me on a wild goose chase."

"Wait…." Zuko put a hand to his chin. "Did it say which Fire Lord it was referring to?"

"No, why?" Cheng Xin said.

"Because it'll give us a better idea." Zuko folded his arms. "If it's not in the palace city, then perhaps it's referring to one specific Fire Lord. I know there are various statues built for every Fire Lord. Like the Great Gates of Azulon."

_A statue?_ Cheng Xin furrowed her brow. _It could make sense. But which Fire Lord was it? Great grandmother Ming was alive when the war started, so maybe…._ She looked at Zuko. "Are there any statues or memorials to Sozin?"

He pondered her question before nodding. "Yes, it's on a small island not far away from the mainland." Zuko stood up. "Come on."

Cheng Xin raised an eyebrow. "Where are you going?"

"You said you wanted to find the secret to these clues right?" Zuko said.

She nodded. "Yes."

He headed for the door. "Then let's go."

….

An hour later Zuko and Cheng Xin were flying south in the war balloon.

Cheng Xin looked down at the clouds below them. "How come we couldn't take Appa?"

Zuko put more fire into the furnace. "We're less conspicuous this way."

She shrugged her shoulders and returned her attention to the clouds. "I wonder what's there? Is it some secret that will help us fight the Fire Nation?" Cheng Xin noticed Zuko staring at her from the corner of her eye. She faced him. "What?"

Zuko blinked. "Sorry. I was just thinking about something the others told me about you."

"And what did they tell you?" Cheng Xin said.

He folded his arms. "They mentioned about how you're the only airbender of your family."

"Since my great grandmother, yes." Cheng Xin rested her arms on the railing. "I didn't find out that I was an airbender until my grandparents told me to find Aang."

Zuko raised an eyebrow. "How could you not know?"

"They hid it from me and kept me away from anything that would make me bend accidentally. I spent a lot of time on my own. I never fit in with the rest of the children in my village since they were all earthbenders." Cheng Xin sighed. "And then my grandparents told me the truth. They wanted me to join Aang and help defeat the Fire Nation. I was so excited, at least, until they told me why they wanted me to do so."

"What happened?" Zuko waited for her to answer. Ever since he learned that there was another airbender other than the Avatar, he was curious of what her story and origins were.

"They wanted me to join Aang, so I could marry him, and help restore the Air Nomad race," she said.

Zuko's eyes widened with surprise. "But…you're a little young for that, aren't you?"

She nodded. "That's what I said. But they told me they only wanted me to win his heart. We were supposed to be married once we grew up. But I wanted no part of their plan. So when I left my village, I disguised myself as a boy. I figured that would detour anyone from trying to force Aang and I together."

_So that's why…. _Zuko looked out toward the sky. "That explains why I was confused about what gender you were."

"Yeah, I got found out. But I still kept the married part away from Aang. I only told Katara about it." Cheng Xin folded her arms and shook her head to herself. "But they found out about that too. At first I felt I had to marry him. I didn't want to let my grandparents down, but I didn't care about Aang. At least…not in that way. And he doesn't feel that way toward me either. We're just friends." She sighed again. "So I decided to not go through with it. I just hope my grandparents understand."

Zuko stared at her. That must have been a lot of pressure for her. He couldn't imagine what it would be like if he had to marry someone he didn't have feelings for. Zuko put a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sure you made the right choice. It's like my Uncle told me, you're destiny is what you choose not what others choose for you."

"But what will my grandparents think when they find out I didn't do as they asked?" She looked at the floor. "I feel like I've let them down. Like I've let my people down."

"Well…." Zuko paused. He had to figure out a way to make her feel better. _What's something else Uncle would say?_ He looked at the war balloon. "Uh, well, life is like this war balloon we're in. The wind may guide us, but we still have the power to do what we want. So…we can either let the wind take us somewhere we don't want to go, or take control of our lives and explore what we desire to see. But…um…no matter what we choose…the wind will always be with us."

Cheng Xin looked at him and smiled. "Yeah…I get what you mean." She hugged him. "Thanks, Zuko."

Zuko returned her smile, feeling awkward. "Sure, no problem." He looked the other way as she let go. _It's about time I got one of those right._

….

More hours passed, and soon night fell. Cheng Xin had fallen asleep, her body stretched out on the floor of the balloon. She felt someone shake her.

"Huh, what?" Cheng Xin opened her eyes and looked Zuko. "What is it?"

"We're here," he said.

Cheng Xin stood up and looked down to where Zuko was pointing. There was a small island in the middle of the ocean. And from where they were in the air, she could see the outline of a statue.

She returned her attention to Zuko. "Have we been seen at all?"

Zuko shook his head. "No. But we should head down before we are."

They landed the war balloon near the shadow, but away from the shore where they might be spotted. Zuko looked up at the statue. It was fairly large and faced the forest of the island.

"So that's Fire Lord Sozin?" Cheng Xin said.

He nodded. "Come on."

Cheng Xin caught up with him. "But where do we look first?"

"Well, the clue said under the Fire Lord's eye, so maybe we should check the base of the statue first," Zuko said.

They walked a ways until they reached the bottom of the statue. There was nothing else around. No temple, or shrine, or something that would implicate that something was hidden there.

"Okay, now what?" Cheng Xin looked around. "There's nothing here."

Zuko frowned. Was it possible this wasn't the right place? His eyes scanned the area when he noticed something strange. "Hey, look over there."

Cheng Xin followed his gaze and saw an odd rock formation in a clearing in the forest. "What is that?"

"Don't know." Zuko headed toward it.

It seemed like some old ruin, but there was nothing else. Cheng Xin examined some of the rocks.

"These rocks seem…out of place," she said.

Zuko nodded as he dragged a hand over the one of the taller ones. "Yeah, they aren't...natural. This is the work of an earthbender."

Cheng Xin raised an eyebrow. "Earthbender? But isn't this still Fire Nation territory?"

"It is." Zuko faced her. "But didn't your great grandmother hide out in the Earth Kingdom?"

"Yeah, but what does…." Cheng Xin glanced up and noticed something about Sozin's statue. _It's eyes. It looks like he's staring right at us._ _Wait._ She blinked. "Hey, look at the statue's eyes."

Zuko looked up and realized the same thing she did. "Then…this must be the place."

Cheng Xin glanced at the rocks surrounding them. "There must be a hidden spot where the last piece to the relic is."

"Right." Zuko examined the rocks for anything suspicious.

He noticed a large, flat, one in the middle of the others, and there was some moss covering it. Zuko took out his broad swords and cut the moss away. In the center of the rock was the outline of a circle.

_It looks like a lid._ Zuko used the edge of his sword and forced the wedge out. What was left behind was a small, round crevice with some items in it. "Hey, Cheng Xin."

She ran over to him. "What is it?"

Zuko pointed to what he found, and Cheng Xin gasped. Could this be what they were searching for? She took out the two items. It was another piece of parchment and the last piece of the relic.

Cheng Xin read the note. "If you have found this, you are a descendant of the Air Nomad people. And I leave the responsibility to you to continue my work."

She opened her amulet and pulled the other two pieces. Cheng Xin placed all three pieces together, and they made the Air Nomad insignia like her amulet. She looked back at the center of the rock. In it was an engraving of a circle.

_Maybe it's supposed to fit in there._ Cheng Xin took the relic and placed in it inside.

The relic sunk into the rock and the ground started to shake.

"What did you do?" Zuko said, stepping away.

Cheng Xin moved back as well. "I don't know."

The rock split in two and separated, creating a large hole in the ground. Zuko and Cheng Xin glanced at each other and back at the hole. It was dark, but there were stairs going down it.

"I wonder how deep it is?" Cheng Xin walked over to the edge. "You don't think there are any monsters in there, do you?"

Zuko started heading down the stairs. "We didn't come this far to quit now."

Cheng Xin nodded and followed him. They ended up in a dark tunnel. Zuko lit a fire in his hand, so they could see. There was only one path that led straight ahead.

"This way," Zuko said.

They walked for a ways until they reached a dead end. It was a large door with swirls and horn shaped pipes on it. Cheng Xin recognized it as the same door Aang opened at the Northern Air Temple.

Zuko examined the door. "Great. How are we going to get inside?"

"With airbending." Cheng Xin smirked. "Stand back."

She placed her right foot back and set it a little more than perpendicular to her left foot. Her knees bent, and her arms spread almost in the same fashion as her legs. Cheng Xin swung her arms to the right as her left was moved behind her right. She twisted her right foot around slightly, and did the same with her body while bringing her right leg forward with her left was placed behind her. Knees still bent, she placed her arms over her head with her right palm bent back and her left facing up. Cheng Xin twisted around once more while taking a deep breath, and bent into a squat with her left leg in front. She held her right arm up while she placed her left across her thigh. She brought her left hand under her right, pointing it toward her right knee, and it look like she was holding a ball of air.

_Just like Aang taught me._ Cheng Xin turned her torso forward, almost aligning it with her left knee, and thrusted both of her hands forward.

Two gushes of wind emitted from her palms and blew into the two horn shaped pipes on the door. The swirled pieces flipped around, undoing the lock. The door opened on its own with a loud creak.

"You did it." Zuko shielded his face from the dust that came from the door.

Cheng Xin folded her arms, proud with herself. "It was easy."

The two looked inside. It was still pitch black. They walked into the opening, and their eyes widened at what they saw. The whole place was an ancient ruins, but not the kind Zuko had discovered with Aang. Everything was broken down, and there was debris all over. The only source of light was the various fires burning out in the ground.

Zuko stepped forward. "It looks like a fight took place here."

"Do you think we should turn back?" Cheng Xin said.

He shook his head and pulled out his broad swords. "We'll be fine. Just stay on your toes."

Cheng Xin nodded and brought out her fans. They made their way through the rubble, eying every corner for some source of movement.

_So strange. What kind of place is this?_ Cheng Xin noticed something ahead and pointed. "Zuko, look."

Zuko directed his gaze at what she was gesturing at. There was a circle of huts in the distance. The two of them cautiously walked over to it. The huts looked like they had been burned down, and there were items scattered across the ground.

Cheng Xin examined one of the huts. "These huts…were there people living here?"

"It seems that way, but I don't see anyone. This place looks abandoned." Zuko scanned the area. _Yeah, that's what you said about the Sun Warrior temple, and look how that turned out._

The bushes behind them rustled, and they both jumped at the noise.

"What…what was that?" Cheng Xin looked around and scooted close to Zuko when she heard the sound again.

Zuko held up his broad swords. "We're not alone." He stepped forward and searched for the source. "Who's there? Show yourself!"

Cheng Xin's eyes darted every which way as she slowly backed up. She wasn't paying attention to where she was going and bumped into something. "Uh, Zuko?"

He turned around. "What?"

Blinking, Cheng Xin realized that Zuko was in front of her. Then what was moving behind her?

Zuko noticed something reaching out from the tall grass behind Cheng Xin. "Move out of the way, Cheng Xin."

_What?_ Cheng Xin reacted too slow and screamed as a pair of arms wrapped around her waist and neck. "Zuko, help!"

"Don't move or your little friend gets it," the figure behind her said as they pointed a sharp dagger at her neck.

Despite the danger she was in, Cheng Xin furrowed her brow with confusion. There was something off with the person's voice. They sounded young, really young.

Zuko gritted his teeth. He knew he couldn't attack whoever it was until Cheng Xin was out of the way. The sound of rustling filled his ears. _There's more of them._

And his was right. Eight cloaked figures jumped out of the bushes and surrounded him. Zuko kept his defensive stance, but he couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. The people surrounding him were fairly short.

Cheng Xin frowned at the predicament she was in. She didn't go through all she had to get killed now. She struggled against her captors grip and bit the hand that was holding the dagger. The person screamed and staggered back, their weapon falling out of their hand. Cheng Xin side stepped her way around them and picked up her fans.

"Who are you?" she said, ready to fight.

The figure straightened their posture. "I could ask the same thing. We don't take kindly to intruders."

Zuko looked at the figure that stood in front of Cheng Xin. They seemed to be the leader. "Look we didn't come here to hurt anyone."

"That's what they all say." The cloaked figure pushed their arms forward.

She caught the action in mid-step. Moving quickly, she opened her arms wide and, in a swift motion, swung her fans in the figures direction. The force of her fans created a large wave of air that blew the figure backward into a tree. They let out another yelp and fell to the ground. The cloaked figures surrounding Zuko gasped and dropped their stances.

Curious, Cheng Xin slowly approached the leader. They stood up, and she paused, unsure of what they were going to do. She noticed as the figure stood, their cloak fell off. Cheng Xin stared at them, surprised. It was boy about her age or a little older. He had shaggy, black hair, fair skin that was slightly tanned from dirt, and gray eyes.

However, instead of retaliating her attack, the boy equally stared at her with amazement. "You…you're an airbender."

Nervous, Cheng Xin retreated back to Zuko's side. "Yeah…what of it?"

To both Cheng Xin and Zuko's shock, the boy jumped ten feet into the air and gracefully floated back down in front of her.

Cheng Xin's eyes widened. "You…."

The boy nodded. "I'm one too." He gestured to the other cloaked figures. "We all are."

The eight figures surrounding them removed their cloaks to reveal a group of children. They were various ages, and from what they could tell, there were five boys and three girls.

Zuko let down his swords and whispered to Cheng Xin, "I can't believe it. _This _is what we were supposed to find?

Cheng Xin was about to reply when the lead boy held out his hand to her. "The name's Tairan, what's yours?"


	22. Tribe of the Clouds

Chapter Er Shi Er- Tribe of the Clouds

Tairan laughed. "It's okay; I don't bite."

Cheng Xin eyed him suspiciously. This could still be a trick. She ignored his gesture and folded her arms. "I'm Cheng Xin, and this is Zuko."

He sighed and brought his hand back to his side. "Well, what are you doing here? The only time someone comes down here is for Fire Nation raids."

"Raids?" Cheng Xin said.

Tairan nodded. "Yes. This place was a safe haven for the last strand of the Air Nomads, but we're all that's left now." He put a hand to his chin and looked Cheng Xin up and down. "Come to think of it…. I've never seen you before, so you aren't part of our tribe. Where did you come from?"

Zuko stood beside Cheng Xin. "We'll explain after we get you guys out of here."

"And why should we go with you?" Tairan eyed Zuko. Unlike Cheng Xin, there was something about him he didn't like. "For all we know this could be some trap to kill us."

"If we were here to kill you, we would have done it already," Zuko said.

"Fine." Tairan raised an eyebrow. "So if we were to trust you, where would you be taking us?"

Cheng Xin smiled. "We're apart of a rebellion group that's fighting against the Fire Nation. If you come with us, you'll be a lot safer than you are here. And Aang has to meet you guys."

"Aang?" Tairan said.

She nodded. "He's the Avatar."

The children in the background whispered amongst themselves, and the youngest boy walked over to Tairan. "Maybe we should go with them."

Another boy nodded. "Yeah, the elders told us that the Avatar was fighting against the war."

Tairan pondered the situation. He didn't want to endanger what was left of his friends and family. He looked at Cheng Xin. "Give us one good reason to trust you."

"Uh…." Cheng Xin furrowed her brow. What could she possibly say that was going to prove Zuko and her were harmless? _Wait, maybe this might help._ She pulled out her amulet. "This is an amulet given to me by my great grandmother, Ming. She left clues in it for me to find this place."

"Ming?" Tairan blinked. "You mean, the Founder?"

Cheng Xin raised an eyebrow. "Founder?"

"Yes, Priestess Ming was the airbender who created this place. When the war started, she traveled the world in search of any surviving airbenders and brought them here." Tairan gave Cheng Xin and Zuko once last glance over before making his decision. "Fine, we'll go with you." He looked at Zuko. "But if I find out you're lying, you'll regret it."

Zuko rolled his eyes. "Right."

….

Cheng Xin and Zuko led Tairan and the other airbenders outside to the war balloon.

Tairan paused when they stopped in front of it. The balloon had the Fire Nation insignia on it. "Wait, you did deceive us."

"No, we aren't." Cheng Xin pointed to the balloon. "We had to use this, so we wouldn't be followed by the Fire Nation. We're kinda in enemy territory, you know."

The youngest boy walked over to the balloon. "Come on, Tairan, stop being so judgmental."

The oldest girl nodded, agreeing. "You know as very well as we do that we've run out of food and resources. If don't take a chance with them, we won't be able to survive on our own much longer."

"Alright, alright, stop pestering me," Tairan said, as he boarded the war balloon. He looked at Cheng Xin. "So where are we going?"

Cheng Xin smiled. "The Western Air Temple."

….

It was the next day, and the gang was sitting in the main area of the temple having lunch.

"Zuko and Cheng Xin have been gone for a long time." Toph took a small bite of her rice. "Did they even say where they were going?"

Katara shook her head. "Not that I know of. They kind of rushed off in a hurry."

"Yeah, but it's been almost a day," Aang said.

"They probably went on a little field trip like you did." Sokka shrugged. "I'm sure they're fine."

_"Aang! Katara!"_

Aang looked around. "Did you hear something?"

_"Toph! Sokka!"_

Toph smiled. "It's Princess. They're back." Something caught Toph's attention, and she placed her hand on the ground to confirm it. "Wait…they're not alone."

"What do you mean?" Katara said.

"There's about seven…." Toph concentrated more on the vibrations she felt. "No, _nine_ extra people with them."

Katara quickly stood up, her mind filled with suspicion. "What?"

In the distance, everyone spotted Cheng Xin running toward them. She stopped in front of Aang and caught her breath.

"Aang, you have to come with me. You won't believe what we found," she said, a large smile on her face.

Aang stood up. "Sure. Where did you guys go?"

Cheng Xin took his hand. "I'll explain in a minute. Come on."

She led Aang away, and the others followed, curious of what was going on. They made their way to the war balloon, and standing in front of it was Zuko, Tairan, and the other airbenders.

"They're all children," Katara said.

Tairan stepped forward. "I could say the same about you guys."

Aang raised an eyebrow. "Cheng Xin, what's going on?"

She grinned and gestured to the group. "Aang, this is Tairan. He and his friends are airbenders like us." She looked at the group and pointed at Aang. "Guys, this is Aang, the Avatar."

Katara gasped. "What? Did you? Did you just say _airbenders_?"

"Why? You don't believe her?" Tairan folded his arms. "We're the Tribe of the Clouds, the last surviving strand of the Air Nomads." He smiled proudly. "As Cheng Xin already said, I'm Tairan."

The oldest girl stood beside him. "I'm Guan-yin." The group noticed that she was identical to Tairan, although her hair was longer than his and reached to her shoulders.

Another boy stepped forward. He had long hair that was tied back in a low ponytail. He looked about ten-years-old. "Name's Shen."

The next three boys nodded and gave the gang wide, toothy grins. They were triplets and appeared to be seven or eight.

"Dong."

"Feng."

"Hao."

A girl with pigtails shuffled forward. She had her hands behind her back, and her eyes were focused on the floor. "Uh…Jing."

The next girl jumped next to Jing, startling her. Her hair was in a bun, and she had a bright smile on her face. "Lei. Nice to meet, ya." Both Jing and her seemed to be seven or eight as well.

The youngest boy joined the others. He looked no more than five. "Hi, I'm Rui."

Sokka folded his arms and looked at the group surprised. "But that…that can't be possible."

"Technically, I shouldn't have existed either, but you found me, didn't you?" Cheng Xin said.

"Yeah…but still…." Sokka glanced at the group skeptically. "How do we know for sure that they're airbenders?"

Cheng Xin frowned. "What? You don't believe me?"

Tairan shook his head. "It's okay." He looked back at his group and smirked. "Why don't we give the non-believer a little demonstration."

Everyone except for Guan-yin nodded. Together they took a deep breath and blew a large gust of wind at Sokka. The force was so strong that Sokka was almost sent off the edge of the temple floor. Tairan quickly jumped into the air and caught Sokka by the hand.

He laughed as he pulled Sokka up. "You were saying?"

Sokka just grumbled under his breath and crawled back over to the gang.

"Well, they're definitely light on their feet. I'll say that much," Toph said.

Guan-yin put her hands on her hips as she glared at Tairan. "Are you crazy, Tairan? You could have killed him."

Tairan shrugged. "Well, I didn't. Loosen up a little."

She rolled her eyes and bowed to the gang. "Forgive my twin brother; he can be a bit careless sometimes."

"Whatever." Tairan scoffed. "It's my _carelessness_ that's kept us alive."

Cheng Xin let out a small laugh and noticed that Aang had been very quiet. She walked over to him and put a hand on his shoulder. "Aang, are you feeling okay?"

He didn't respond. He was still in shock. Airbenders. They managed to find _more_ airbenders. In one quick motion, Aang turned and embraced Cheng Xin in a tight hug.

"Thank you." Aang pulled back. "But where did you go? How did you find them?"

"We'll explain later. I'm sure these guys want to get cleaned up first," Zuko said.

Guan-yin nodded. "Oh, and food. Please tell me you have food."

Katara smiled. "Of course, come this way."

….

Some hours later everyone was sitting around a campfire.

"An island in the Fire Nation?" Aang said, blinking.

Toph raised an eyebrow. "But how did your great grandmother hide airbenders in Fire Nation territory."

Cheng Xin shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe she figured Fire Lord Sozin wouldn't search within his own land." She looked at Tairan. "So, what were these raids you mentioned before?"

Aang frowned. "Raids?"

The group of airbenders all got solemn looks on their faces.

Tairan sighed. "As I said before, our home was a safe haven for the last airbenders. But we were found out."

"But how? The cavern was hidden with earthbending, and the door to the cavern could only be opened with airbending," Cheng Xin said.

Guan-yin set her bowl of rice down. "That's because we were betrayed."

Katara looked at them with disbelief. "What?"

"It was a jerk by the name of Tung," Tairan said, folding his arms.

Cheng Xin's eyes widened at the name, but she kept silent, wanting to hear the rest of the story.

Tairan frowned. "He was much older than us. Guan-yin and I are the only ones old enough to remember him."

"He was very unruly and loved to sneak out the cavern from time to time. Tung used to go on and on to the rest of us about how horrible our lives were because we were trapped underground. He thought we should be free to roam the rest of the world." Guan-yin looked at the floor. "But we weren't; we were happy and prosperous. We had our family and friends and that was enough. Then one day Tung left and didn't return. The elders were worried, but we didn't think much of it. And that's when it happened."

"There was a large explosion and fire everywhere. Most of us were hidden while the elders fought, but they didn't win. Some were killed, others captured." Tairan's expression grew more serious. "When the Fire Nation left, we heard the elders mention who was behind the attack. It was Tung. He sided with the Fire Nation, and every now and then, soldiers would come and take more airbenders. It went on for the last three years until we were all that was left."

Katara furrowed her brow. It was just like what happened to the Southern Water Tribe. Absentmindedly, she touched her necklace as she looked at them. "I'm so sorry for your loss."

Zuko blinked. Something about what they said didn't make sense to him. "Wait, three years? How can that be? Everyone thought the Air Nomads were wiped out until Aang returned. When I was still Prince of the Fire Nation, I don't remember hearing anything about this. And I never met this Tung person."

"But I'm sure your father does," Cheng Xin said.

Everyone looked at her. "What?"

Cheng Xin rested her head on her knees. "After the battle at Ba Sing Se when I was captured, I was brought to Fire Lord Ozai. And that's where I met him. I know who Tung is." She closed her eyes. "He calls himself _Master_ Tung, and he's the prison guard for a secret, underground dungeon."

"You mean the secret bunker?" Sokka said.

She shook her head. "No. It's further down in the center of the dormant volcano. He called it the Magma Chamber. The air is so hot and thick that you can barely breath, and the cells are encased in earth so there's no way to escape. Perfect place to trap an airbender I guess." Cheng Xin sighed. She couldn't believe it. Master Tung had been an airbender all along.

Tairan stood up. "Then let's go after him."

"Are you crazy?" Guan-yin said.

"No. I want revenge." Tairan folded his arms. "How can you not feel the same after what that treacherous coward did to us?"

Guan-yin furrowed her brow. "I know, but now is not the time for any rash decisions."

"What do you mean, rash? Cheng Xin just told us where he is. All we have to do is go after him," Tairan said.

Cheng Xin raised an eyebrow. "No offense, but I don't think that's such a great idea. You guys don't have what it takes to just storm into the palace city."

He looked at her, annoyed. "How do you know?"

"Because my friends already tried. And I'm sure the Fire Nation is waiting for some lame ambush since we managed to elude them." Cheng Xin frowned. "You're only going to get yourselves killed."

Katara nodded. "She's right. If you want to fight the Fire Nation fine, but we're going to have to work as a team."

"But…." Tairan glanced away from them. "You don't understand. This is personal. We lost all of our family and friends because of him."

Cheng Xin walked over to Tairan. "Well, you're not the only one that's lost something. The war has affected all of us." She put a hand on his shoulder. "Stay with us. We can help each other."

Guan-yin stood. "Come on, Tairan. They're right. I mean, you and I are the only ones that have had a little bit of airbending training. The rest never had a chance. And we're with the Avatar. This is where we need to be."

Tairan thought for a minute and sighed. "Fine."


	23. Antics and Moments

Chapter Er Shi San- Antics and Moments

It was the next morning. Everyone woke up, ready to start the day. Katara and Toph were walking amongst the sleeping bags when Katara noticed someone was missing.

_Where's Sokka?_ She looked down and saw a piece of paper crumbled in Momo's arms and legs. She bent down and picked it up.

"What does it say?" Toph said.

Katara tilted the paper to the side as she tried to read the horrible handwriting. "Need meat. Gone fishing. Back in a few days. Sokka and Zuko."

Cheng Xin yawned as she stretched on the ground. "What's going on?"

Aang grumbled and turned on his side, not wanting to get up. "Sokka and Zuko went on another field trip."

"One more thing." Katara squinted while she read the rest of the note. "Aang, practice your firebending while I'm gone. Do twenty sets of fire fists and ten hot squats every time you hear a badger frog croak. Zuko."

Mumbling, Aang closed his eyes and went back to sleep. That was until everyone heard a loud badger-frog croaking nearby. Aang groaned and slowly stood up. "Nobody else has homework."

Cheng Xin giggled as he started to do his squats. Aang heard her and looked over his shoulder.

"And while I'm doing this, you can run five laps around the temple," Aang said, grinning.

She stopped laughing and pouted. "Me and my big mouth."

Sighing, Cheng Xin proceeded with her training and began her first lap. She made it about halfway when she found Tairan standing in her path.

He smirked at her. "Hard at work already?"

Cheng Xin jogged in place as she frowned at him. "I'm training right now. Can you move please? Aang wants me to run five laps. It's part of my conditioning."

Tairan merely folded his arms. "Well, I'm sure the Avatar can wait a few minutes while we talk."

Cheng Xin stopped jogging and blinked. "About what?"

He took her by the hand. "Come on."

Tairan brought Cheng Xin to the room the rest of his clan was in. When they reached it, the others were sitting in a circle waiting for them.

Cheng Xin waited by the door while Tairan walked over to the front of the group. "So, what is this about?"

Guan-yin stood and smiled at her. "We've been talking, and we want you to join our tribe."

"What?" Cheng Xin blinked. "Why?"

"Well, you are the descendant of the founder. The others thought it would be proper if you did," Tairan said, as he reclined against the wall.

Lei shook her head. "Actually, we were thinking about making her our new leader."

Tairan's eyes widened. "What!"

"But it's just like you said, Cheng Xin's related to the founder." Lei gave her two thumbs up. "That means she's meant to be our leader."

"Oh, so I'm not good enough for you guys now?" Tairan stood and folded his arms. "I can't believe you guys would even make such a suggestion."

Guan-yin sighed. "You are a great leader, brother. But we're apart of the outside world now. Cheng Xin has experience that we don't. She grew up out here during the war, and she's traveled the whole world with the Avatar."

Cheng Xin bit her lip, feeling uncomfortable. "You guys, this is a nice gesture and all. But I could never accept it."

"Why not?" Guan-yin walked over to her. "You even know where Tung is. You can help us avenge our tribe when the time is right, and together we can rebuild our people."

"I know, but…." Cheng Xin shuffled her feet. "I'm not leadership material. Technically I'm still training under Aang. And if anything, Aang should be your new leader."

"But he's the Avatar." Shen folded his arms. "He has other obligations than helping us."

"Trust me." Cheng Xin gave them a reassuring smile. "Aang would be more than honored to help you, so that we can restore our nation. And he's a much better candidate than I am. He's the original Avatar that disappeared when the war started a hundred years ago. He was around before the Air Nomads were killed off, and he knows everything about our culture and how things were. Plus, Aang's an airbending master. He can teach all of you like he's teaching me."

Everyone went silent and pondered the option. It would make more sense for Aang to be their leader, but at the same time, his duty was to the rest of the world not just them.

Guan-yin nodded. "I suppose we could."

Tairan shrugged. "I guess. But we should probably wait. Aang has his own problems. He's still trying to master firebending."

"_Mastering_?" Shen raised an eyebrow. "I thought the Avatar was already a master."

"It's complicated," Cheng Xin said.

"So, Cheng Xin." Guan-yin sat down. "I know you said you were born to a family of earthbenders, but where are you from?"

"Oh." Cheng Xin sat beside her. "I was born in the Northwestern part of the Earth Kingdom. I lived in a small village most of my life until just recently. I left to join the Avatar, and ever since then, I've been roaming around the world helping the others fight the Fire Nation."

"It must have been really exciting. All the different places you got to see," Guan-yin said.

"Our journey has had its ups and downs." Cheng Xin paused as she collected her thoughts. A small smile crept its way onto her lips at how far she had come. "But, yeah. It's been exciting."

….

Two days passed, and Sokka and Zuko returned from their journey. It turned out that they went to a highly guarded Fire Nation prison and rescued Katara and Sokka's father and Suki. Katara and Sokka were happy, but all the situation did was remind Cheng Xin of her grandparents. Where were they? Were they okay? Were they even still alive? She couldn't fathom the idea of them being gone. They had to be alive, fighting, surviving, somewhere.

The next morning everyone was peacefully resting in their sleeping bags around the fountain. Unfortunately, they were in for a rude awakening. A stray bomb shot out of the air toward the temple. Aang was the first to see it, and he quickly blew the bomb backwards with a gust of wind. It struck the side of the cliff and exploded. The others immediately woke up from the noise.

"What was that?" Sokka said.

More bombs came their way. They were followed by three, large, dark outlines in the clouds. Everyone gasped when the objects came into view.

Cheng Xin frowned. "Fire Nation."

It was three air ships. They had been discovered. The ships shot off more missiles. Everyone ran for cover while Aang blocked the bombs by closing the tall, shutter doors that surrounded their campsite. The continuous explosions made the ceiling cave in, and everyone dodged out of the way. Toph and Haru created a tunnel in the back wall with their earthbending.

"Come on, we can get out through here!" Toph said.

Everyone nodded and headed inside. Aang was pulling Appa along when he noticed that Zuko was lagging behind.

He raised an eyebrow. "What are you doing?"

"Go ahead, I'll hold them off." Zuko glanced at the airships with an annoyed expression. "I think this is a family visit."

Aang's eyes widened as Zuko ran off in the direction of the ships. "No, wait!" He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Sokka.

"Hurry up, we gotta get out of here," Sokka said, helping Aang with Appa's reins.

Cheng Xin helped Tairan and Guan-yin gather their group and keep everyone out of harms way.

Tairan looked at the airships in the distance. "Why are we running? Shouldn't we fight?"

"No, it's too dangerous." Cheng Xin shielded her face as some debris flew past her. "We just need to focus on getting everyone out of here safely."

Toph groaned as she did her best to hold the tunnel up. "Come on, you guys. This place is about to fall apart any minute."

Everyone else was inside of the tunnel, but Aang, Katara, and Sokka were having trouble getting Appa to go with them.

"I can't get him to go in there. Appa hates tunnels," Aang said.

Katara looked at the tunnel and back outside. "There's no way we can fly out of here."

Aang jumped on Appa. "We're going to have to find a way."

"We need to split up." Sokka looked at his father. "Take Haru, Teo, and the Duke through the tunnel and get to the stolen airship."

"But what about us?" Shen said.

Tairan looked at his group. "Sister, take the others and go with Hakoda. I'll stay with the Avatar."

Guan-yin furrowed her brow. "Are you sure?"

He nodded as his expression turned serious. "Yes, I need to help the others with the war. You go and keep our family safe."

"Right." Guan-yin quickly gathered Shen, Dong, Feng, Hao, Jing, Lei, and Rui as the others rushed through the tunnel. "Hurry, you guys. Let's get out of here."

"Tairan!"

He turned to see Cheng Xin already on Appa with her hand held out to him. Tairan quickly took her hand, and she helped him up.

"You sure you're ready for this?" Cheng Xin said.

Tairan sat down in the saddle. "More than ready."

Katara, Sokka, and Suki finally climbed into Appa's saddle, and Toph felt the vibrations in the wall.

"I can clear that away, and we can fly out through there," she said.

Suki blinked. "Uh, there's an awful lot of fire in that general direction."

Aang took hold of Appa's reins. "We'll get through."

Appa took off into the air, and Aang bended a wall of earth in front of them as a shield. They felt someone attack them, but managed to get past the airships. Everyone looked back to see what was going on.

"Hey, who's that?" Tairan said, noticing the person Zuko was fighting.

Cheng Xin frowned. "Azula, Princess of the Fire Nation, and a big problem."

"But Zuko seems to be holding her off," Suki said.

They watched as Zuko and Azula struck each other at the same time with their fire creating an explosion. Both of them were blown off of the airship they were battling on and went plummeting through the air. Aang turned Appa around, and they caught Zuko in the saddle.

Zuko looked back to see that his sister was stil falling. "She's not going to make it."

At the last minute, Azula shot flames from her feet and flew over to the cliffside. Pulling off her crown, she used it to grip onto the wall until she came to a skidding stop.

He looked away, his expression unreadable. "Of course she did."

….

Zuko directed Aang to take them to Ember Island. They reached the outskirts by nightfall and decided to camp out before going any further. The gang set up their tents and was sitting around a campfire eating dinner.

Aang laughed. "Wow, camping. It really seems like old times again, doesn't it?"

"If you really want it to feel like old times, I could…uh..chase you around a while and try to capture you," Zuko said.

Everyone laughed except for Katara. She kept her gaze focused on the floor and muttered under her breath a dry, "Ha, ha."

Sokka raised his cup. "To Zuko. Who knew after all those times he tried to snuff us out, he'd be our hero."

"Here, here!" everyone said.

Zuko smiled. "I'm touched. I don't deserve this."

"Yeah, no kidding." Katara quickly stood up and stormed off.

"What's with her," Sokka said.

"I wished I knew." Zuko followed her.

Sokka raised an eyebrow. "What's with him?"

Toph shrugged.

Cheng Xin took a sip of her tea. "It's the same thing that's been going on. Katara has been touchy ever since Zuko joined us."

Tairan folded his arms. "Wait, so Zuko's the Fire Nation Prince, right? Why is he helping us?"

She sighed. "It's a long story."

"A very long story," Toph said.

"I see." Tairan stared at the fire. "I hope the others are doing okay."

"I'm sure there fine. My father's with them," Sokka said.

Tairan brought his knees up to his chest. "I know. It's just kind of weird. I've never been away from my family before. Not to mention being out here. The world seems a lot bigger when you've been cooped up in a small place all your life."

Cheng Xin reclined back. "I know what you mean."

Later, everyone retired to their tents. Cheng Xin was rolling out her sleeping bag when she heard someone come in. She turned around and saw that it was Tairan.

"Hi, did you want something?" she said.

He sat down on the ground. "Just wanted to hang out. I told you before; I'm not used to being by myself."

"Oh…." She knelt beside him. "Are you sure it was a good idea to come with us?"

Tairan rolled his eyes. "Why do you keep asking me that?"

She sighed. "Sorry, it's just that I've never seen you fight before. And we've gotten to a very crucial part of our journey."

"Look, I'm ready to do whatever I can. I have a score to settle," he said.

Cheng Xin furrowed her brow. "You mean with Tung."

He nodded. "Yes. I'm going to find that scum bag and take him down."

She bit her lip and looked away from him. "Well, that's great but…." Cheng Xin sighed again, trying to find the right words. "It's more complicated than that."

Tairan raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"The main focus of our mission is making sure Aang can to defeat the Fire Lord. But we're on a time limit. Aang is supposed to do it before Sozin's comet."

"Sozin's comet…?" Tairan furrowed his brow. He was familiar with the name very well. It was the cause of his tribe's existence. "But that was a hundred years ago."

"Yes, but the comet is returning. And when it does, the Fire Nation will become all powerful again," Cheng Xin said.

He folded his arms. "So what? That doesn't scare me."

Cheng Xin put her hands on her hips. "True. However, when the comet came last time, the Fire Nation was able to pretty much wipe out all of our people. Who knows what they're planning to do this time." She glanced at the ground and back at him. "Look, I'm sure that you can take care of yourself. But you need to know that this is more then just your personal revenge. And don't worry, I'm sure we'll run into Tung again."

"I get that already." Tairan frowned. "I was always angry and sad about what happened to my tribe before. But now that I now that that creep is alive and out there, I just…."

She placed a hand on his shoulder. "You feeling something we've all felt and are still feeling. But you've never fought in a war before. You've only experienced it from things you've heard and what you've seen from the sidelines." Cheng Xin brought her hand back to her side. "Take it from me. When I first set out to join Aang I thought it was going to be so fun. And it was, but there were also bad moments too. Fighting for your life, being captured and forced into situations you don't want to be in, and things completely spiraling out of your control. I'm just warning you that it's different when you're all alone with no one else to rely on but yourself, and you're faced with the fact that you're not strong enough to make a difference. And because of that fact, you have to watch the ones you care about fall."

Tairan stared at Cheng Xin and examined her expression. He could see it in her eyes, a mixture of guilt and pain. "You're talking about yourself, aren't you?"

"Yes." Cheng Xin lay back on the ground. "We were fighting to protect the Earth Kingdom capital of Ba Sing Se from the Fire Nation. We had all gone on our own separate missions. I was left alone with the Earth King in the palace. Even though I'm a lot better than I was, I not the strongest fighter in our group."

"If that's the case, then why were you left alone?" Tairan said.

"It was only temporary. Katara and another friend named Jet were with me, but they had to leave for a meeting with the generals." Cheng Xin closed her eyes. "And while they were gone, Azula and her friends showed up. They disguised herself as Kyoshi warriors and were able to come to the palace. I ran into them alone by accident and automatically recognized them. But they were stronger than me, and I was captured. After that, I was forced to betray the others and everything fell apart."

Tairan shook his head. "Why would you betray your friends?"

"I didn't want to. But Azula threatened to kill my grandparents if I didn't. They're only family I have left, and I couldn't let anything happen to them. I hoped that the others would return in time to stop Azula. They did, but it wasn't enough. And Jet died because of me. I ended up killing him during a fight." Cheng Xin stared at the ceiling. "The others have forgiven me, but I haven't completely forgiven myself. I never want to have to go through something like that again."

"I'm sure you won't," he said.

She rolled over onto her stomach. "Maybe. But I just wanted to warn you. It's so easy to lose yourself in all of this. Plus, I wouldn't want to lose you."

Tairan blinked. "What?"

"Well…it's just that I've gotten used to the only airbenders being Aang and I. It's kind of nice having you and the others around. It helps me feel…normal," she said.

"Oh…uh…." Tairan scratched his head. "You never felt normal before?"

"Not really. I grew up in the Earth Kingdom and was brought up to be so. And even with Aang, I mean he's the Avatar…he can bend all four elements. I was the only regular airbender." Cheng Xin sat up. "Plus, we're all that's left of our kind. I'd feel horrible if something happened to any of you." She yawned. "Anyway, we should probably get some rest."

"Right…." He looked at the entrance to the tent nervously. "Although…it is kind of late…maybe I should stay in here."

Cheng Xin raised an eyebrow. "Are you that afraid to be by yourself? What are you five?"

Tairan scoffed and tilted his head up. "Please, I'm thirteen." The sound of crowl hooted outside of the tent, and he let out of little yelp.

"Fine, tough guy, you can stay in here," Cheng Xin said, laughing.

….

Morning came, and everyone was lounging around. Aang was feeding Appa some hay when Katara walked over to him.

"I need to borrow Appa," she said.

Aang noticed that Zuko was behind her. He raised an eyebrow. "Why? Is it your turn to take a little field trip with Zuko?"

"Yes, it is." Katara's tone was strict and cold.

Sokka, Cheng Xin, and Tairan walked over to them.

"What's going on?" Sokka said.

Katara kept her stern gaze. "We're going to find the man who took my Mother from me."

"Sokka told me the story of what happened. I know who did it. And I know how to find him," Zuko said.

Aang furrowed his brow. This situation wasn't sounding good. "Uh…and what exactly do you think this would accomplish?"

Katara turned away from him. "I knew you wouldn't understand."

"Wait, stop, I do understand. You're feeling unbelievable pain and rage. How do you think I felt about the sandbenders when they stole Appa? How do you think I felt about the Fire Nation when I found out what happened to my people?" Aang said, trying to get through to her.

Zuko folded his arms. "She needs our support, Aang. This is about getting closure and justice."

Aang shook his head. "I don't think so. I think it's about getting revenge."

"Fine." Katara threw her arms in the air. "Maybe it is. Maybe that's what I need. Maybe that's what he deserves."

Sokka walked over to his sister. "Katara, she was my mother too. But I think Aang might be right."

She glared at him. "Then you didn't love her the way I did."

"Katara…." Sokka looked at her, a bit put off. How could she say something like that?

"The monks used to say that revenge is like a two-headed ratviper. While you watch your enemy go down, you're being poisoned yourself," Aang said.

Tairan snickered. "You can't be serious? She has chance to get back at the person who killed her own mother, and you're telling her not to do it?"

Zuko nodded. "He's right. This isn't air temple pre-school. It's the real world."

"Now that I know he's out there, now that I know we could find him, I feel like I have no choice," Katara said.

Aang put a hand on her shoulder. "Katara, you do have a choice. Forgiveness."

"That's the same as doing nothing," Zuko said.

Aang shook his head. "No, it's not. It's easy to do nothing, but it's hard to forgive."

Katara shrugged his hand off of her shoulder. "It's not just hard, it's impossible." She stormed away from everyone.

Aang sighed. "I hope she makes the right the decision."

"No offence, Aang. I mean, I'm all for forgiveness when it's reasonable. But this is the guy that killed her mother," Cheng Xin said.

"I know, but revenge isn't what she needs." Aang went back to feeding Appa. "She can be angry and hurt as much as she wants, but if she carries it out, all she'll be left with is emptiness."

"I doubt that." Tairan leaned against a rock. "There are some things that are just unforgivable, and mercy isn't an option."

"Well, my advice isn't just for Katara; it's for you too. I know you came with us, so you could go after Tung. You want revenge for his betrayal," Aang said.

"Hmph." Tairan rolled his eyes. "And why shouldn't I? You weren't there to see what happened to us because of him. Maybe you can go around forgiving everyone, but don't expect everyone else to do the same."

Cheng Xin looked at him, surprised. "Tairan."

Aang stared at him. "I'm only saying what I think is right."

"And so am I." Tairan ran a hand through his hair. "Look, if you want to stop Katara, that's on you. But stay out of my affairs."

They watched him walk away.

"Geez, what a hot head," Sokka said.

Aang shrugged. "He's just frustrated."

Cheng Xin thought for a minute. "Actually, I agree with him."

"What?" Aang said.

She gave an uneasy smile and furrowed her brow. "I want revenge too. Although I'm not sure who I want it on more, Azula or Tung." She closed her eyes. _Azula made me betray the others, and she threatened my grandparents. But Tung…the things that he did to me while I was locked up. The things he said to me. And he's an airbender. He looked down on me for being one, but he was one all along._

….

Another two days went by. Katara had left with Zuko to get her revenge anyway. And the others waited for their return. Aang was still hoping that Katara wouldn't kill the guy, but Cheng Xin couldn't care less. If revenge was what Katara wanted, then she deserved to get it.

They finished their journey to Ember Island and made to Zuko's family's abandoned beach house. When Zuko and Katara returned Aang, and Cheng Xin met up with them at the shore.

"Katara." Aang ran over to her. "Are you okay?"

Katara looked, her expression much calmer than before. "I'm doing fine."

Cheng Xin stepped forward, twiddling her fingers. "Well…did you do it?"

"No." Katara looked away. "I didn't."

Aang sighed, relieved. "That's great."

Katara shook her head. "But I wanted to. I wanted to take out all my anger on him, yet I couldn't. I don't know if it was because I was too weak too or because I was strong enough not it.

"You did the right thing. Forgiveness is the first step you have to take to begin healing," Aang said.

"But I didn't forgive him. I'll never forgive him." Katara looked at Zuko. "But I am ready to forgive you." She walked over to Zuko and hugged.

Zuko smiled, happy that she was no longer angry with him anymore. She let go and walked off. He directed his attention at Aang. "You were right about what Katara needed. Violence wasn't the answer."

Aang nodded. "It never is."

"Then I have a question for you…." Zuko gave Aang a more serious expression. "What are you going to do when you face my father?"

"Uh…." Aang paused put off guard. What was he going to do? After what happened during the eclipse, he put off his thoughts about his confrontation with Fire Lord Ozai.

Zuko headed toward the beach house, and Cheng Xin and Aang were left alone.

"What's wrong?" Cheng Xin said.

Aang shook his head. "Nothing."

_Yes, there is. All that forgiveness stuff is coming back to bite you._ Cheng Xin started to walk away. "Okay, I'm heading inside."

"Yeah, I'll be there in a minute." Aang looked out toward the sunset. _I__'m going to have to kill the Fire Lord._


	24. A Play's A Play

Chapter Er Shi Si- A Play's A Play

It was the next day, and the gang was relaxing at the beach house. Katara, Sokka, Toph, Cheng Xin, and Tairan were watching Aang and Zuko train in the courtyard. They were finishing a firebending move and stopped to take a rest.

"Doesn't it seem kind of weird that we're hiding from the Fire Lord in his own house?" Katara said.

Zuko sat down by a fountain in the center of the courtyard and wiped his face with a towel. "I told you, my father hasn't come here since our family was actually happy. And that was a long time ago. This is the last place anyone would think to look for us."

"That's good. I'm in no mood to fight right now," Cheng Xin said.

Tairan opened one eye as he shifted against the pillar he was leaning against. "I thought you were supposed to be ready for anything?"

Cheng Xin yawned. "Yeah, but I'm feeling really lazy right now."

"Hey guys, check out what we found!"

Everyone glanced up and saw Sokka and Suki. The couple ran over to them.

"You guys are not going to believe this." Sokka held up a poster. "There's a play about us."

"We were just in town, and we found this," Suki said.

Katara and Cheng Xin got down from the steps they were on.

"What?" Katara examined the poster. "How is that possible?"

"Well, it is, and listen to this." Sokka read the poster. "The Boy in the Iceberg is a new production from acclaimed playwright, Pu Won Tim, who scoured the globe gathering information on the Avatar from the icy South Pole to the heart of Ba Sing Se. His sources including singing nomads, pirates, prisoners of war, and a surprisingly knowledgeable merchant of cabbage. Brought to you by the critically acclaimed Ember Island Players."

Cheng Xin folded her arms. "Wow, that sounds weird, yet very interesting."

Zuko groaned. "Ugh, the Ember Island Players?" He grimaced. "My mother used to take us to see them. They butchered _Love Amongst The Dragons_ every year."

"Why? Was it a musical or something?" Tairan said.

Toph sat up. "So are we gonna go?"

"I don't know." Katara looked at her brother. "Sokka, do you really think it's a good idea for us to attend a play about ourselves?"

Sokka grinned. "Come on, a day at the theater? This the kind of wacky, time wasting nonsense I've been missing."

….

The gang headed to the theater and bought tickets for the show. They were dressed in Fire Nation clothes, so they could blend in and sat in a high, balcony were they wouldn't be noticed. Everyone took their seats. Toph and Katara took the first row. Sokka, Suki, Cheng Xin and Tairan took the second. Aang was about to sit next to Katara when Zuko sat in the spot instead.

"Hey, I actually…." Aang said.

Zuko raised an eyebrow. "Just sit next to me. What's the big deal?"

Aang scratched his head. "Well…I want to..." He glanced at Katara, too embarrassed to say the real reason. "Never mind." Aang reluctantly sat at the edge of the row.

Tairan reclined back. "So if this is a play about us? Will I be in it too?"

Cheng Xin shrugged. "I don't know. You just joined our group. I doubt someone could monitor our every move."

Toph wriggled her feet on the floor. "Why are we sitting in the nosebleed section? My feet can't see a thing."

Katara smiled. "Don't worry, I'll tell your feet what's happening."

The lights dimmed and focused on the stage. The curtains opened to reveal a background of icebergs. In the center was a canoe in the ocean with Katara and Sokka's actors inside. Sokka nudged Katara pointed to himself and her with a grin.

Actress Katara sighed. "Sokka, my only brother. We constantly roam these icy, South Pole seas, and yet, never do we find anything fulfilling."

"All I want is a full feeling in my stomach. I'm starving!" actor Sokka said.

The audience laughed, and Katara and Sokka just stared at each other.

Actress Katara shook her head. "Is food the only thing on your mind?"

"Well, I'm trying to get it out of my mind and into my mouth." Actor Sokka looked at the audience with a stupid expression. "I'm starving."

Sokka frowned. "This is pathetic. My jokes are way funnier than this."

Toph laughed. "I think he's got you pegged."

"Everyday, the world awaits a beacon to guide us, yet none appears. Still we cannot give up hope." Actress Katara placed a hand to her face in a dramatic way. "For hope is all we have, and we must never relinquish it. Even…even to our dying breath." She started crying.

Katara raised an eyebrow. This was how the writer thought she acted? She scoffed. "Well, that's just silly. I don't sound like that."

"Oh man. This writer's a genius," Toph said, grinning.

A blue light emitted on the stage, and a circular iceberg appeared. Inside was the silhouette of a person.

"It appears to be someone frozen in ice. Perhaps for a hundred years," Actress Katara said.

This time Aang was on the edge of his seat with excitement.

Actor Sokka shrugged. "But who? Who is the boy in the iceberg?"

The actors climbed up to the orb, and Actress Katara made a swiping motion with her hand. "Waterbend, hai-ya!"

The orb cracked in half, and Aang's character jumped out.

_Wait, a second. That's…a girl!_ Aang recoiled back, repulsed.

Actress Katara stepped forward. "Who are you, frozen boy?"

Actress Aang laughed goofy and gave them a toothy grin. "I'm the Avatar, silly. Here to spread joy and fun."

Aang groaned. "I'm not a woman."

Tairan chuckled. "Now that's funny."

"An airbender?" Actress Katara hugged Actress Aang's legs. "My heart is so full of hope that it's making me tearbend." She started crying.

"My stomach is so empty that it's making me tearbend. I need meat," Actor Sokka said, hugging Actress Aang as well.

Actress Aang pointed out to the air. "But wait. Is that a platter of meaty dumplings?"

Actor Sokka looked in the direction she pointed. "Huh? Where, where?"

"Ha, ha." Actress Aang patted Actor Sokka on the back and laughed. "Did I mention that I'm an incurable prankster?"

"Is that what actually happened when they found you, Aang?" Cheng Xin said.

"No, it isn't." Aang slouched against the chair, annoyed. "That is not what I'm like. And I'm not a woman!"

Toph couldn't stop laughing. "Please, they nailed you, Twinkle Toes."

The scene changed to a Fire Nation ship. On it were Zuko and Iroh's actors.

Actor Iroh held up a plate of food. "Prince Zuko, you must try this cake."

"I don't have time to stuff my face." Actor Zuko glanced away from his telescope at Actor Iroh. "I must capture the Avatar to regain my honor!"

"Well, while you do that, maybe I'll capture another slice," Actor Iroh said, before stuffing his mouth with cake.

Actor Zuko groaned and returned to his search. "You sicken me."

Zuko blinked and shook his head at the actor's portrayal of him. "They make me look totally stiff and humorless."

"Actually…I think that actor's pretty spot on," Katara said.

He frowned. "How could say that?"

On stage, Actor Iroh stood up and walked over to Zuko's character. "Let's forget about the Avatar and get massages."

"How could you say that!" Actor Zuko said, glaring at him.

Katara merely grinned at Zuko as he pulled his hood over his face.

The play continued on, and showed how Aang, Sokka, and Katara became a team. Then when they went to the Southern Air Temple and found Momo, to the Kyoshi Warriors were they met Suki. Next was Omashu with King Bumi, when they helped Haru, went to Roku's temple, stole a waterbending scroll from pirates, and when was captured and rescued by the Blue Spirit. The next scene was in a forest and showed Katara with Jet. Once again Katara actor was crying over dramatically.

Actor Jet was holding onto a rope in the air with Actress Katara in his arms. "Don't cry, baby. Jet will wipe out that nasty town for you."

The makeshift village below them was swept of by a giant wave, and Jet and Katara rose high into the air.

Actress Katara swooned. "Oh, Jet, you're so bad."

_How does everyone know I had a crush on him? _Katara looked away with embarrassment while Toph giggled.

Cheng Xin just shifted uncomfortably. She didn't want to be reminded of Jet. The scene changed again, and the gang passed over a giant canyon, dealt with a fortuneteller, and fought against Zuko again. Suddenly they were in the middle of a forest. It looked familiar to Cheng Xin, and she watched with interest.

Actress Aang tiptoed through the trees. "Oh my, this is a scary place. I hope we don't run into anyone bad in here."

"I beg to differ." Actor Sokka held his stomach. "I haven't eaten in hours."

Suddenly a tree collapsed on Actor Sokka. Aang and Katara's characters gasped, and Actress Katara held out her hands defensively.

"Who's there? Show yourself!" she said.

A tall figure dressed in black jumped out from the bushes. "I'm here." The figure pulled back its hood and grinned. It was a guy. "I'm Cheng Xin, the greatest airbender ever."

"Wait. So Aang's character is a girl, and Cheng Xin's character is a boy?" Tairan said.

Cheng Xin blinked. _Well, I was pretending to be a boy for a while, so I guess that makes sense._

Actress Aang jumped for joy. "Wow, another airbender like me."

"But that's impossible," Actor Sokka said. "There are no other airbenders."

Actor Cheng Xin shook his head. "Nonsense. You guys just weren't searching hard enough." He laughed. "Anyway, can I join your group?" He pulled out a necklace. "This amulet, left to me by my ancestors, gives me the ability to be a master airbender. I'm just as strong as Aang and won't slow you down."

Cheng Xin furrowed her brow. "Hold on, that's not what happened. I never said that."

On stage, Actor Sokka looked at Actor Cheng Xin skeptically. "But how do we know that? You're just a little boy."

"Well, would some dumplings change your mind?" Actor Cheng Xin said, holding out a plate of food.

Actor Sokka quickly grabbed the plate and devoured the dumplings in one gulp. He belched and grinned at Actor Cheng Xin. "You're in."

Cheng Xin shook her head as the play continued on. The scene changed to a river and Aang, Sokka, and Katara's characters were being surrounded by Zhao, Zuko, and a horde of Fire Nation soldiers.

Actress Aang looked the enemy worriedly. "Oh no, whatever shall we do?"

Katara's character started crying again. "I don't know, we're trapped. Oh, there's no hope for us now!"

"Never fear!" Actor Cheng Xin flew in on a glider and knocked down a handful of soldiers. "Magic Twister!" He twirled a two white ribbons around himself that blew Zhao and Zuko's character away. Actor Cheng Xin put his hands on his hips and smirked proudly. "That's right, cowards! You're no match for the Almighty Cheng Xin!"

Aang, Katara, and Sokka's characters stared at Actor Cheng Xin with amazement.

"Wow, you're so dashing, Cheng Xin!" Actress Katara said.

Actress Aang squealed with glee. "Yeah, you're so much of a better airbender than I. We'll all be safe so long as you're around."

Zuko rolled his eyes. "Where did they get this from? Cheng Xin was a total weakling when I first fought her."

Cheng Xin narrowed her eyes at him. "Gee, thanks."

More events passed, and they were in the North Pole. The next scene showed Sokka and Princess Yue together.

"Don't go, Yue. You're the only woman who's ever taken my mind off of food." Actor Sokka smelled her breath. "Wait did you have pickled fish for dinner?"

Actress Yue was pulled up into the air by a fake moon. "Goodbye, Sokka. I have important moon duties to take care of. And yes, I did have pickled fish."

"You never told me you made out with the moon spirit," Suki said.

Sokka shushed and focused on the play with teary eyes. "Not now, I'm trying to watch."

The scene change to when again became the spirit water monster and fought the incoming Fire Navy ships.

Actress Aang cheered and hooted as she stomped and kicked the toy sized ships away. "The Avatar is back to save the day! Yay!"

The audience cheered as act one of the play ended. The gang just grimaced at the sight. The intermission began, and they decided to go outside for a break.

Zuko groaned as he leaned against the wall. "So far, this intermission is the best part of the play."

Sokka huffed as he sat beside Suki. "Apparently the playwright thinks I'm an idiot who tells bad jokes about meat all the time."

"Yeah." Suki laughed. "You tell bad jokes about plenty of other topics."

"At least the Sokka actor kinda looks like you. That woman playing the Avatar doesn't resemble me at all," Aang said.

Toph shrugged. "I don't know. You are more in touch with yor feminine side than most guys."

Aang shouted in frustration as he sat on the floor.

Cheng Xin bit her lip. "And what about me? My character is the complete opposite. I wasn't good at fighting, or arrogant, or had enemies cowering before my power." She twildded her fingers in the air and pouted.

"Well, you were pretending to be a guy. Maybe they're portraying you that way because you were already acting like something you're not," Toph said.

"I guess…." Cheng Xin said.

Tairan chuckled. "Hey, look at the bright side at least your not the one bawling all the time."

"Oh please." Katara folded her arms and shook her head. "You guys, isn't it obvious? They're not accurate portrayals. It's not like I'm a preachy crybaby who can't resist giving overemotional speeches about hope all the time. Right?" She was met with silence as everyone stared at her. Katara blinked. "What?"

Aang looked away from her and mumbled sarcastically, "Yeah, that's not you at all."

Toph laughed. "Listen, friends. Just face facts. The playwright did his research. I know it must hurt, but what you're seeing up there on that stage is the truth."

The gang returned to their balcony seats as act two began. The scene opened up to an elaborate Earth Kingdom village.

Actress Katara smiled. "Well, here we are in the Earth Kingdom."

"I better have a look around to see if I can find an earthbending teacher." Actress Aang swung over the audience on a rope and landed back on stage. "I flew all over town, but I can't find an earthbending master."

Toph grinned excitedly. "This is it. This must be where I come in."

A heavily muscled man came out from behind a rock. "You can't find an earthbending master in the sky, you have to look underground." The man picked up the rock and threw it.

"Who are you?" Actress Aang said.

"My name is Toph because it sounds like tough." Actor Toph flexed his muscles. "And that's just what I am."

On the balcony, Toph cleaned out her ears to make sure she heard her character right. "Wait a minute, I sound like a guy. A really, buff guy."

Katara grinned. "Well, Toph, what you see up there is the truth. It hurts doesn't it?"

Toph shook her head and smiled widely. "Are you kidding? I wouldn't have cast it any other way." She chuckled. "At least it's not flying bald lady."

On stage, Actress Aang waved a hand in front of Actor Toph's face. "So…you're blind?"

Actor Toph laughed. "I can see you doing that. I see everything you see except I don't see like you do. I release a sonic wave from my mouth." He screamed at the top of his lungs at the other characters. "There, I got a pretty good look at you."

As a result from Actor Toph's shouting, Actor Cheng Xin's clothes flew off and revealed a long, floral robe, and a shoulder length wig that he was wearing underneath. The other characters blinked, surprised, and Actress Aang stepped forward.

"Huh, you're a girl!" she said.

Actor Cheng Xin held a fan to his face and batted his eyes. "Of course, you didn't notice?"

The others shook their head.

Actress Aang shrugged. "Oh well, you're still our friend no matter what." She looked at Actor Cheng Xin with a dreamy expression. "Although, you sure are pretty."

In the balcony, Aang and Cheng Xin's eyes widened as they both muttered, "Huh?"

Actor Cheng Xin blushed and looked away. "Really?"

Actress Aang nodded and smiled. "Yes. In fact, why don't you and I get married?"

"Married?" Actor Cheng Xin shrunk back. Everyone noticed that the character was acting more timid and soft spoken. "But we're so young."

"Yeah, but we can get married when we're older. We can restore the Air Nomads, so we're not the only ones any more," Actress Aang said.

Actor Cheng Xin hugged her. "Of course, I'll marry you, Aang. This is a dream come true."

"Oh, a wedding. I love weddings," Actress Katara said.

In the balcony, Aang and Cheng Xin sunk back in their seats with frowns.

Cheng Xin folded her arms. "They can't be serious." She looked at the floor. _They're actually pairing me with Aang?_

Aang didn't respond and just pulled his hat over his head. He couldn't take another minute of his actor. The play continued on. There were some scenes about Zuko and Iroh, then it changed to when Cheng Xin being captured by Azula in Omashu. Cheng Xin couldn't help but take note that her actor did a three hundred and sixty degree turn with her character. One second she was the strongest fighter, but now she was the damsel in distress. Every few scenes she was being kidnapped and had to be rescued by Aang. And each time, much to both Aang and Cheng Xin's dismay, the romantic bond between their actors became closer and closer. The play moved on to the gang's journey into Ba Sing Se. They freed Cheng Xin from Long Feng's control and went to the Earth King to plan the invasion.

Tairan noticed Cheng Xin's face go pale. "Something wrong." When she didn't respond, he nudged her.

Cheng Xin shook her head, coming out of her daze. "What?"

"Why do you look so shaken up?" he said.

She gave him a reassuring smile. "It's nothing. I'm fine."

Katara overheard them and frowned. _It's because of Jet. They're going to show how she was tricked before._

Actress Katara and Actor Jet faced off with Cheng Xin, Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee's characters in the Earth King's throne room.

"Cheng Xin, what are you doing?" Actress Katara said. "Don't you realize you're on the Fire Nation's side?"

"Of course I do." Actor Cheng Xin took out his fans. "But I don't care. Azula's better than you guys are. I'd rather serve under her than be with the Avatar. He doesn't need me."

Actress Azula placed a hand on his shoulder. "Yes, airbender. Now convince your friends to surrender, and I'll let the Avatar live."

Actor Jet jumped forward. "We'll never surrender!" He swung his weapon at Actor Cheng Xin. "Take that!"

Cheng Xin's character stepped out of the way and hit Actor Jet on the top of the head with his fan. Jet's character collapsed on the floor.

Actress Katara ran over to his body and examined him. "No, he's dead!" Tears spilled from her eyes. "Cheng Xin, you traitor!" She was carried away by Dai Li agents. "No, it can't be! Aang, please come back, you're our only hope."

_I can't believe this._ Cheng Xin turned even paler than before and secretly wished she would just disappear.

The next scene didn't get any better. It showed Zuko and Katara trapped alone in the crystal catacombs.

"I have to admit, Prince Zuko. I really find you attractive," Actress Katara said.

Actor Zuko walked away from her. "You don't have to make fun of me."

"But I mean it." Actress Katara flipped her hair. "I had eyes for you since the first time you captured me."

In the balcony, Katara and Zuko shifted away from each other, feeling awkward. Meanwhile Aang was at the end of his rope. Now Katara was flirting with Zuko? He shook his head. But it was just a play. Then again, he wasn't there. He didn't know what actually happened.

On stage, Actor Zuko walked over to Actress Katara. "Wait, I thought you were the Avatar's girl."

Actress Katara giggled. "The Avatar? Goodness no. The poor thing is head over heels for that treacherous Cheng Xin. And I never thought of him in a romantic way." She embraced Actor Zuko. "No, Zuko. You're the only one for me."

Aang just stared at the actors wide-eyed. _What? Katara and…Zuko?_ Fed up with the play, he stood up and left the balcony.

The scene changed to Zuko choosing what side to be on, and then to the final battle. Actor Aang went into the Avatar State until Actress Azula shot him with fake lightning.

Actress Azula jumped out in center stage with Mai and Ty Lee's characters posing behind her. "The Avatar is no more!"

The second act was over, and everyone took another break for the intermission. Katara, Toph, Sokka, Suki, and Zuko headed outside into the lobby. Tairan was getting ready to leave as well when he noticed that Cheng Xin was still in her seat.

He walked over to her. "You coming?"

Cheng Xin shook her head and sighed. "No. I think I'm going to just stay here."

"What's wrong? You seem a little distracted." Tairan sat beside her. "Is it the play?"

She slowly nodded. "Yeah."

Tairan shrugged. "It is just a play, you know. I can tell from everyone's reaction that it's not all true."

"I know. But the fact is, some of it actually is true. I did kill Jet," she said.

He looked at her surprised. "What?"

"I didn't mean too." She hung her head. "It was an accident. I had to fight against the others because of Azula, and I injured him."

Tairan looked at her, unsure of what to say. He wasn't there, so he couldn't make a logical judgment on the situation. He placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's going to be okay."

Cheng Xin sighed. "I know. But that doesn't stop it from bothering me."

…..

The others were out in the hallway talking. Katara looked around and noticed that Cheng Xin and Tairan were missing.

"Hey, Toph. Do you know where Cheng Xin and Tairan went?" she said.

Toph shrugged as she sat down on the floor and leaned against he wall. "They're still in the balcony."

Katara sat beside her. "That's strange. Those two have been hanging around each other a lot lately."

"Maybe Tairan likes her," Suki said.

"You really think so?" Katara folded her arms. "Cause even the rest of the airbenders only hang around Cheng Xin also. They barely spent any time with the rest of us."

"Well, Cheng Xin is an airbender. They could be used to only being around their own kind," Toph said.

Katara shook her head. "That's ridiculous."

"But they were secluded from the rest of the world." Toph picked her ear. "They're still adjusting. And since Cheng Xin was the one who found them, they feel more comfortable around her."

Suki put her hands on her hips. "I still think it's because he likes her."

Katara thought for a minute. The idea wasn't impossible, and actually it seemed very cute. Plus, Tairan was an airbender just like Aang. Cheng Xin would no longer have to go through with the arrangement her grandparents gave her. Katara frowned. _However, Cheng Xin never mentioned anything about liking Tairan. _

…

Act three began, and the gang reluctantly returned to their seats for another round of torture. Cheng Xin had a chance to witness all the antics the others went through while she was locked up. They went under disguise in the Fire Nation, Katara pretended to be someone called, the Painted Lady, Sokka trained with a master and got a new sword, and Combustion Man died. The next scene changed to the invasion. Actress Katara and Actress Aang were standing on top of a submarine.

"I just want to let you know, Aang, that I'll always love you." Actress Katara smiled. "Like a brother."

"I wouldn't want it any other way,"Actress Aang said.

Actress Katara nodded. "Be careful, and I hope you find Cheng Xin unharmed."

"Of course." Actress Aang pulled out a tiny replica of Aang's staff. "I love her. I will stop at nothing until I bring Cheng Xin back safe and sound." She floated off stage as Actress Katara waved after her.

In the balcony, Cheng Xin just shook her head. The playwright was really milking this. She heard Aang groan and pull his hat over his head again. She knew why. It was because he liked Katara, and the play was completely disregarding that fact. Then again no one knew about that except her and Aang, right?

The next scene showed the gang entering the palace.

Actress Aang scanned the stage. "We finally made it to the royal palace but no one's home."

Actor Zuko and Actor Cheng Xin walked onto the stage.

"I actually I'm home. I'd like to join you," Actor Zuko gestured behind. "And I've rescued Cheng Xin."

Actor Cheng Xin gasped. "Oh, Aang you're alive!" He ran over to Actress Aang and embraced her. "I'm so glad."

Actress Aang returned the hug. "I'm glad you're safe too. Now, nothing will keep us apart."

"But what about Zuko? I don't think we should trust him," Actor Sokka said.

Actress Katara stepped forward. "But he saved Cheng Xin from the Fire Nation's control. We have no choice but to."

The actors nodded in unison and ran off the stage.

In the balcony, Sokka yawned and stretched his limbs. "I guess that's it. The play's caught up to the present now."

Cheng Xin blinked. "Are you sure? What about Tairan and the others?" She bit her lip. "Unless they never found out about that."

"They must not have," Katara said.

Suki gestured at the stage. "Hold on, the play's not over."

"But it has to be. Unless..." Sokka shifted his eyes in a suspicious way. "It's the future."

The scene switched to Fire Lord Ozai in his throne room with the comet flying overhead.

"With the energy harnessed from that comet, no one will be able to stop the Fire Nation!"

Actress Azula ran on stage and bowed in front of him. "Father, Zuko and the Avatar are at the palace. They're trying to stop you."

"You take care of Zuko. I shall face the Avatar myself," Actor Ozai said as he vanished in a puff of smoke.

Actor Zuko and Actress Aang run onto the stage.

"Aang, you fight the Fire Lord, I'll hold her off," Actor Zuko said.

Actress Azula took a stance. "You are no longer my brother. You are an enemy."

"No!" Actor Zuko folded his arms. "I am the rightful heir to the throne!"

"We'll see," Actress Azula said, smirking.

The actors fought using streamers to represent their fire. They were both evenly matched until Actress Azula erupted a pillar of fire that engulfed Zuko's character, killing him. The gang gasped, shocked, and they looked at Zuko worriedly. The scene changed to Aang and Fire Lord Ozai.

Actor Ozai was sitting on his throne. "So, you have mastered all four elements?"

"Yeah and now, you're going down!" Actress Aang said, grinning.

"No, it is you who is going down!" Actor Ozai stood up. "For you see, you are too late. The comet is already here, and I'm unstoppable!"

The actors began their fight. Actress flipped over Ozai's character as he shot red streamers at her. They went back and forth with their attacks until Actor Ozai unleashed a huge, cloth, wave of flames that wrapped around Actress Aang. She screamed and dramatically sunk to the ground in defeat.

Actress Azula ran on stage. "It is over, father. We've done it."

"Yes, we have done it!" Actor Ozai stepped on a pedestal and was surrounded by fake fire. "The dreams of my father and my father's father have now been realized. The world is mine!"

The play ended, and the audience stood and applauded. The gang was the only ones who were silent. They just sat still in complete disbelief as the crowd cheered over their defeat.


	25. Finale Part I

Chapter Er Shi Wu- Finale Part I

It was another day, and the gang was still at the Fire Lord's beach house. They had decided to to take the day off and relax, but Zuko disagreed. He attacked Aang in an attempt to knock some sense into him. They were in the middle of a war; there was no time for leisure. They had already taken a long enough break when they went to see that horrible play. Aang confessed that he planned to wait until after Sozin's comet to fight Fire Lord Ozai. He felt he wasn't ready yet. He was just getting the hang of firebending, and if he tried to face him now, he'd lose.

However, Zuko had bad news for them. He attended an important war meeting before the eclipse, and his father was planning to wipe out the Earth Kingdom with the comet like Sozin did to the Air Nomads. The gang was shocked at this. Aang shook his head with disbelief, the pressure overwhelming him. The Fire Lord was going to destroy the Earth Kingdom?

"What am I going to do?" Aang said.

Zuko looked at him with a serious expression. "I know you're scared. And I know that you're not ready to the world. But if you don't defeat the Fire Lord before the comet comes, there won't be a world to save anymore."

Cheng Xin frowned. How could the Fire Lord be so heartless? And yet, it didn't surprise her. When she met Ozai after being captured, he seemed all too thrilled to have finally gotten rid of all the Air Nomads. Cheng Xin looked at Aang. She could tell he was still nervous. And why wouldn't he be? He had a huge burden on his shoulders.

"This is bad." Aang placed his hands on his head. "Really bad."

Katara placed a hand on his shoulder. "Aang, you don't have to do this alone."

"Yeah, if we all fight the Fire Lord together, we've got a shot at taking him down," Toph said.

Cheng Xin nodded. "Yes. We've worked as team this whole journey. There's no reason to stop now."

Sokka grinned and pumped his fist up. "Alright! Team Avatar is back!" He pointed to Aang, Cheng Xin, and Tairan. "Air!" He gestured to Katara. "Water!" He looked at Toph. "Earth!" He then pointed to Zuko. Fire!" Sokka wrapped his arm around Suki's waist. "Fan and sword!"

Aang smiled feeling grateful for his friends. "Fighting the Fire Lord is going to be the hardest thing we've ever done together. But I wouldn't want to do it any other way."

…..

Zuko and Aang continued their training together while the others watched. Aang was learning how to redirect lightning. The gang then practiced fighting in a group. They set up a little training area with obstacles and fake enemies. Toph pretended to be the Fire Lord and attack the others while they fought their way through. At the end, it was Aang's turn to take out the fake Fire Lord that, but he paused.

"I can't," Aang said, lowering his staff.

Sokka walked over to him. "What's wrong with you? If this was the real deal, you'd be shot full of lightning right now."

Aang shook his head. "I'm sorry, but it just didn't feel right. I didn't feel like myself."

Sighing, Sokka unsheathed his sword and cut the head of the fake Fire Lord, which was just a large melon. "There. That's how it's done."

Cheng Xin furrowed her brow as she watched Aang cringed at the action. _Why is he acting so strange all of a sudden? He never had a problem attacking enemies before._

….

It was evening, and the gang was relaxing in the courtyard. Cheng Xin stared at Aang. He had been silent the whole time.

"Aang, is there something bothering you?" she said.

"I can't do it." Aang rested his head on his knees. "I can't kill the Fire Lord."

Zuko raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean you can't? You have to."

"I know I should." Aang sighed. "I know that he's a horrible person, and the world will probably be better off without him. But he's still a human being. There's gotta be another way."

Tairan frowned. "You can't be serious. This is the Fire Lord. You believe he'd think twice about killing any of us? The Air Nomads have been dwindled down to almost nothing because of him and Sozin. And now he's about to do the same thing to the Earth Kingdom." He stood up. "Are you really just going to chicken out and let them get away with it?"

"But this goes against everything I've learned. The monks taught me to respect all life. I can't just go and wipe out people I don't like," Aang said.

"This isn't about what you don't like." Tairan folded his arms. "And if you haven't noticed we're not temple Air Nomads. All the monks and priestesses are gone now because of the Fire Nation."

"Tairan, stop it," Cheng Xin said.

He glanced at her. "I will not." Tairan returned his attention to Aang. "I'm trying to knock some sense into this sell out."

Aang narrowed his eyes at him. "Sell out?"

"Yeah, you heard me." Tairan got in his face. "You're turning your back on the world just because you're too scared. Well, if you haven't noticed yet, this isn't about you."

"And what would you know?" Aang stared at the others. "You have no idea what I'm going through."

"What, you mean having to deal with the fact that all your friends and family are gone because of this stupid war? Cause I know exactly what that feels like. And if I were in your shoes, I would do whatever it took to make sure our people and the rest of the world were avenged," Tairan said.

Cheng Xin frowned. Even though she agreed with Tairan, he was still going too far. Aang was already stressed out enough as it is. "Tairan, that's enough." She stood up. "Look, Aang. I know this is difficult for you, but you're going to have to go through with it. You're the one who's supposed to end this war."

"She's right. You're the Avatar. Your whole job is about keeping balance. I'm pretty sure the universe will forgive you," Sokka said.

Aang groaned. "This isn't a joke, Sokka! I don't care what any of you say; none of you understand the position I'm in. You think it'll be so simple for me to just take someone else's life. Well, it isn't. This goes against everything I am as a person."

"We understand that, Aang." Katara sighed. She didn't like seeing him like this. "We're only trying to help."

"Then when you figure out a way for me to beat the Fire Lord without taking his life, I'd love to hear it," Aang said, before storming off.

Cheng Xin shook her head. "Oh, Aang. This is such a mess." She looked at Tairan. "And why did you have to get him so upset?"

"Hey, I'm just being realistic. There are lives at stake here. Whatever it is that he's going through, he needs to get over it," Tairan said.

"But you still didn't need to be so hard on him," Katara said.

Zuko folded his arms. "Either way, he needs time to sort this out. We should just let him be for now."

…..

The next day, everyone was preparing to leave the beach house. It was then they realized that Aang and Momo were missing. They went looking for him and found his footprints leading out to the ocean. This was bad. They only had two days left until the comet. They had to find him. The gang split up into groups. Sokka flew overhead with Appa, Katara and Suki searched the villages, Toph and Zuko looked around the beach, and Cheng Xin and Tairan searched the outskirts of the island. Still they found nothing.

No one could come up with an idea of where Aang disappeared to, but there had to be some way to find him. They decided to let Zuko figure out a way to find Aang. Zuko got an idea and took the gang back to the Earth Kingdom. There they found Jun, a bounty hunter with a pet shishu that can track any scent in the world. Unfortunately, when they had Jun track the sent down, her shishu couldn't find anything. According to her, Aang no longer existed. Everyone looked distraught, unsure of what to do, but Zuko had an idea. He pulled out his uncle's sandal and had Jun track him down. They were led all the way back to the outer wall of Ba Sing Se. Jun parted ways with them, and they decided to camp out for the night. But it was then that they were greeted by some old friends. The earth shook and a wall of fire surrounded the group. A group of men, all dressed in blue and white with lotus symbols on the front of their robes, appeared in front of them. Katara, Sokka, and Cheng Xin instantly recognized them. It was Jeong Jeong, Master Pakku, Bumi, and Piandao, Sokka's sword master.

"Well, look who's here," Bumi said, laughing.

Toph furrowed her brow. "What's going on? Why are we surrounded by old people?"

Katara smiled. "Not just any old people. These are great masters and friends of ours." She walked over to Pakku and slightly bowed.

"It's respectful to bow to an old master, but how about a hug for your new grandfather," Pakku said.

Katara and Sokka gasped surprised. Grandfather? That must mean…. Katara embraced Pakku. "That's so exciting. You and Gran Gran must be so happy to have found each other again."

Pakku nodded. "I made her a new betrothal necklace and everything."

Sokka grinned and hugged him. "Welcome to the family Gramp Gramp."

"You can still just call me Pakku," he said, pushing Sokka off of him.

"What's all of the commotion?"

_That voice…._ Cheng Xin turned around as two new figures came into view. It was an elderly man and woman dressed in the same attire as the others. Cheng Xin gasped. "Grandma! Grandpa!"

Hearing her outburst, the man and woman looked in her direction. Both of their eyes widened with realization as Cheng Xin rushed over to them.

Her grandmother opened her arms an enveloped her in a tight embrace. "Oh, Cheng Xin, my baby. It's been so long. I've been so worried about you." She pulled back. "And look at how you've grown."

"Grandma, it hasn't been _that_ long," Cheng Xin said.

"I don't mean in age; I mean in your eyes." Her grandmother held her face. "You've grown from your experiences."

Cheng Xin nodded as she felt her grandfather hug her as well.

"The important thing is that you're alive and well," he said.

Bumi walked over to them. "Xing, Fang, so this is the granddaughter you've been bragging so much about."

"Hello, King Bumi." Cheng Xin looked at her grandparents. "So what's going on? Why are all you guys here?"

"We're all part of the same ancient secret society. A group that transcends the divisions of the four nations," Piandao said.

Zuko blinked as he realized what they were talking about. "The Order of the White Lotus."

"That's the one," Bumi said.

Jeong Jeong nodded. "The White Lotus has always been about philosophy, beauty, and truth. But about a month ago, a call went out that we were needed for something important."

"It came from a Grand Lotus." Piandao looked at Zuko. "Your uncle, Iroh of the Fire Nation."

"Well, that's who we're looking for," Toph said.

Piandao started to walk ahead of them. "Then we'll take you to them."

"Wait, someone's missing from your group. Someone very important." Bumi looked around suspiciously. "Where's Momo?"

"He's gone. And so is Aang," Sokka said.

Bumi smiled. "Oh well, so long as they have each other, I'm sure we have nothing to worry about. Let's go."

"The Avatar isn't here?" Fang looked at her granddaughter. "Why aren't you with him, dear?"

Cheng Xin groaned. She knew this topic was going to come up sooner or later. "Because he suddenly disappeared out of nowhere. No one knows where he is."

"Oh, forgive me, dear. You must be so worried," Fang said.

Xing raised an eyebrow. "And what did the Avatar say about the arrangement?"

Cheng Xin drew her eyes to the ground, and the others shifted nervously. "He refused to accept the offer."

Fang's eyes widened. "What?"

"He wouldn't marry me because he doesn't love me. I…tried my best, but he doesn't want me," Cheng Xin said.

"Well…that's just absurd," Fang said.

Cheng Xin shrugged. "He's the Avatar. He can do whatever he wants."

Fang shook her head. "But still, to turn his back on such a major responsibility."

"Wait a minute..." Tairan ran up beside Cheng Xin. "You were supposed to marry the Avatar?"

"Yes," she said, hanging her head.

Tairan furrowed his brow. "Why?"

She sighed. "Because Aang and I were the only airbenders left. If we married, we could repopulate the Air Nomads."

He grinned. "I guess finding us let a load off of your shoulders."

Xing looked at Tairan with a raised eyebrow. Who was this boy? He didn't like his attitude. "Who are you, young man?"

"Oh. I'm Tairan, the leader of the Tribe of the Clouds. In translation, the last strand of Air Nomads," Tairan said.

Fang gasped. "What?" She stared at her granddaughter. "There are more airbenders? Why didn't you tell us?"

"Sorry, I was too focused on the fact that you guys were still alive." Cheng Xin bit her lip. "I found Tairan and the others only recently. Unfortunately, there isn't many of them. Including Tairan, there's only nine members left of the tribe."

"I see. But this is splendid news, nonetheless. Still..." Xing looked Tairan up and down. He wrinkled his nose at the boy's appearance. His clothes were slightly dirty and untucked. His hair was unruly, and he had this annoying, arrogant expression. Xing shook his head. Definitely not someone worthy of his granddaughter. "...The Avatar is the highest class. I would prefer it if you were married to someone of a better bloodline who could take care of you."

Cheng Xin looked at her grandfather with disbelief. "You can't be serious. I already told you that Aang didn't want me."

"Nonsense." Xing gave her a firm glance. "You just weren't trying hard enough. You've still got plenty of time; I'm sure you can persuade him by the time you're of marrying age."

"But it's not fair." Cheng Xin folded her arms. "I don't love Aang in that way either, nor do I want to marry him."

"Young lady," Fang said.

However, Cheng Xin wasn't keeping quiet. She had seen too many things; she had gone through too much. Plus, this wasn't just about her. She respected Aang's wishes, and she didn't want to pressure him into a life he didn't want. That they both didn't want. "Why can't I do something else with my life? I'm an airbender. Airbenders are supposed to live free lives."

"Cheng Xin, that is enough!" Xing narrowed his eyes at her. "It does not matter what you want, and it does not matter if you two don't love each other now. Love will come with time. But more importantly, you have a duty to your nation."

She stepped back and bit her lip. "But...I just told you that there are other airbenders. Why does it still have to be my responsibility? And my bloodline is the most mixed out of all of us. How do you know that my children won't end only earthbenders or nonbenders instead?"

"It does not matter." Fang took her granddaughter by the hand. "Eleven airbenders is not much. You will all have to do your part. Now, into the tent. I'm sure you're hungry and want to get cleaned up."

Cheng Xin sighed to herself as she was brought inside her grandparents tent. Right now, she was kind of wishing she hadn't found them. A cruel irony at its best. Without them around, she was free to make her own choice. But with them here, they were only going to force her to marry even more. What was she going to do? How was she going to convince them that it just wasn't going to happen?

_If anyone could force to annul the arrangement, it would be Aang. They wouldn't dare argue with him. But he's missing now, and no one knows where he is. _Cheng Xin closed her eyes. _Aang, don't tell me you've abandoned us?_


	26. Finale Part II

Chapter Er Shi Liu- Finale Part II

It was the middle of the night, and Cheng Xin snuck out of her grandparents' tent. She scanned the campsite to make sure no one was awake. Realizing that the coast was clear, Cheng Xin slipped the hood of her cloak over her head and headed to the other side of the outer wall.

When she reached it, she stared out at the vast desert. _I have to get out of here._ She glanced behind her. _It's the only way I'll be free to make my own choice. _Cheng Xin pulled out Aang's staff. He had left it behind when he disappeared. She opened it and steadied herself as she'd seen Aang do numerous times. "Forgive me, everyone, I have to find my own way."

Cheng Xin gave herself a running start and soared out into the sky. Normally she'd be nervous to be so high in the air, but right now things were different. She was too determined to get away. And Aang, what happened to him? The comet was soon to be upon them, and the world's last hope had vanished.

_Aang…perhaps I should find him. But I don't know where to look._ Cheng Xin adjusted herself to the current as she continued to fly west. _He could be anywhere. But…I have to do something. Something to help with this war. _

That's when it occurred to her. The Fire Nation. Tung. Regardless of what Tairan said, he was too inexperienced. And Guan-yin and the other airbenders. They were separated when Azula attacked the Western Air Temple. It was unsure if they were okay or not.

_Something could've happened to them. _Cheng Xin shook her head. _No, I won't let that happen. And I will serve my nation. I will protect what's left of my people. Tung, you won't get away with what you've done. To both them and me._

….

"Cheng Xin! Cheng Xin, where are you!"

It was morning, and Fang was standing in the middle of the campsite, calling for her granddaughter. When she went to wake her, she wasn't in her sleeping bag. Where could she have gone?

Katara, Sokka, Suki, Toph, and Tairan had woken up and heard Fang's distressed calls.

Sokka rubbed his eyes. "What's going on?"

Fang looked at all of them, relieved. "Have any of you seen Cheng Xin?"

The group shook their heads.

"No. Why, what happened?" Katara said.

"She was sleeping in our tent, but she's not here anymore." Fang rushed over to Xing as he walked out of their tent. "Dear, please tell me you know where Cheng Xin is."

Suki noticed something pinned to the outside of the tent. "Hey, what's that?"

Fang looked in the direction Suki was pointing. It was a piece of parchment. She pulled it off and realized it was a note. By this time, Zuko had left his uncle's tent, and the gang listened as Fang read the note.

"Dear, grandmother and grandfather." Fang's eyes scanned over the note with worry. "I'm sorry, but I can't live up to your expectations. I need to find my place in this world on my own."

"Princess is gone now too?" Toph said.

Katara folded her arms. "But why…why would she leave?"

"Probably because she didn't want to be forced to marry Aang," Tairan said, folding his arms.

Suki blinked. "What?"

Xing gave them a stern glance. "That's none of your business, boy. Or any of yours for that matter."

"But Aang and Cheng Xin are both our friends. You can't just force them together like that." Katara frowned. It wasn't fair to them. Especially, since she now knew that Aang was interested in her. Before the invasion during the eclipse, they had kissed. She was still confused about how she felt, but that didn't have anything to do with Aang. Katara looked at Xing. _How could Cheng Xin's grandparents still force her into marriage when they know there's more airbenders?_

"It does not matter." Xing turned toward his wife. "We'll search for her. She had to have left some point at night, so she couldn't have gotten too far on foot."

"Actually, that might be a problem," Zuko said.

Sokka looked at him. "What do you mean? Did you see her?"

Zuko shook his head. "No, but Cheng Xin was carrying Aang's staff."

"Which means she could be anywhere by now," Suki said, sighing.

….

Cheng Xin kept her groggy eyes on the distant horizon. She had been soaring in the sky nonstop, but her energy was wavering. Unfortunately, she wasn't sure where to land. She could spot the Fire Nation all over the place. She was getting close to the west coast of the Earth Kingdom, but she wasn't going to make the trip across the ocean if she didn't find a safe area to rest soon. Finally, Cheng Xin saw a patch of forest. She could take a break in one of the trees where she could hide away from any Fire Nation eyes.

She slowly descended from the clouds into the forest below. _Oh please, don't let me be spotted. Please._ Cheng Xin was able to land on a tree okay. It was unsure if anyone had seen her. The last thing she wanted was to be mistaken for Aang and end up with a whole army tracking her down.

Resting her back against the large trunk as she closed the glider, Cheng Xin looked up at the sky. She'd give herself a few hours to sleep before heading for the Fire Nation. Cheng Xin sighed. She had traveled far enough that the others wouldn't be able to follow her either.

_They probably wouldn't know where to look. I never mentioned where I was going in the note. _Cheng Xin pulled her amulet out and traced a finger over the engraving. _This is such a mess. But it's the only way. Yet, I was wish it wasn't. Why can't my grandparents just let me live the way I want?_

….

Azula sat in the throne room of the Fire Nation palace. But unlike previous times, she was the one in the actual throne. Yes, her father had chosen to crown her Fire Lord of the homeland while he went on to destroy the Earth Kingdom under his new title: The Phoenix King.

But despite such a joyous occasion, Azula was less than thrilled. It all started with the fiasco at the Boiling Rock. Just when she was about to get rid of her treacherous brother and the Avatar's friends, Mai and Ty Lee turned on her and helped them escape. How? Why? They were her closest friends and allies; still they chose to betray her. She could still hear Mai's words ringing in her ears.

_" I guess you don't know some people as well as you think you do. You miscalculated. I love Zuko more than I fear you."_

Azula closed her eyes as she grimaced. "Love."

It was a useless emotion that only led to gullibility and submissiveness. It was a sign of weakness. But she wasn't weak; she was strong. And the strong could get anyone to follow them with control and fear. Now, her whole world was slipping from underneath her feet. Everywhere she turned, someone was doing something to harm her. Why just earlier, one of her servants tried to choke her with a cherry pit. She banished the backstabbing girl along with many others, including the Dai Li. They were so willing to turn on their own nation; there was no doubt in her mind that they'd eventually turn on her as well.

Azula opened her eyes as she heard the door to the throne room open. Before her father departed, he informed her of the many secrets he had kept as Fire Lord. One being a surviving strand of Air Nomads, and the informant he used to lure them all out. The man's name was Tung. Azula stared at him as he bowed before her.

"You called for me, Princess?" Tung said, keeping his head lowered.

She narrowed her eyes. "It's Fire Lord now." Azula looked away from him. _Or at least until my coronation later._ She groaned. "Father has told me all about you. Apparently, you were part of a tribe of Air Nomads that managed to survive secretly through the war."

Tung nodded. "That is correct, your Highness."

"And you betrayed your people. You sided with the Fire Nation and led them all to their deaths." Azula frowned as her eyes glimmered with a crazed emotion. "Why would I want someone like you serving me? When the moment suits your interests, you could easily lead a rebellion against me!"

"No, your Grace." Tung looked up at her with pleading eyes. "I've pledged my full loyalty to the Fire Nation."

Azula scoffed. "Is that why one of your captives managed to escape? The airbender, Cheng Xin."

Tung furrowed his brow. "That is merely a coincidence."

"Ha!" Azula stood as she glared down at him. "She returned to Avatar to aid him. If anything, you're probably conspiring with him as well!"

"No, my Lord. You are mistaken. I'd never…." Tung said.

"Silence!" Azula pointed to the door. "You are banished! Leave my kingdom immediately or there will be dire consequences."

Tung stared at Azula, his eyes wide and his mouth slightly ajar. Banished? How could this be? After all the loyalty he had shown for the Fire Nation, this was his reward? Ozai would have never gotten rid of him, but what could do? The Princess was now in control as Fire Lord. He had no choice but to flee unless he wanted to be executed.

…

Cheng Xin yawned as she stretched her limbs. It was a nice nap, but she really needed to get going. She still had a ways to travel. Lifting herself up without falling from the tree, Cheng Xin opened the glider and jumped up into the sky. She headed for the lowest lining of clouds, for it gave her better camouflage.

She sighed. Once she crossed over to the ocean, there would be no place for her to land until she reached the Fire Nation. _I should land on the outskirts on the main island and travel the rest on foot. It'll be easier to hide._

….

Back at the campsite, everyone had gathered around to plan their next move. With both Aang and Cheng Xin gone, they needed to figure out a way to win the war without their help.

"Uncle, you're the only person other than the Avatar who can possibly defeat the Father Lord," Zuko said.

Toph looked up from her bowl of soup. "You mean the_ Fire_ Lord."

He frowned. "That's what I just said." Zuko returned his attention to his uncle. "We need you to come with us."

Iroh shook his head. "No, Zuko. It won't turn out well."

Zuko furrowed his brow. "But you can beat him, and we'll be there to help."

"Even if I did defeat Ozai, and I don't know that I could. It will be the wrong way to end the war. History would see it as just more senseless violence, a brother killing a brother to grab power. The only way for this war to end peacefully is for the Avatar to defeat the Fire Lord," Iroh said.

"And then…." Zuko paused. "Then would you come and take your rightful place on the throne?"

"No. Someone new must take the throne." Iroh looked at his nephew. "An idealist with a pure heart and unquestionable honor. It has to be you, Prince Zuko."

_What?_ Zuko stared at his uncle with disbelief. "Unquestionable honor? But I've made so many mistakes."

"Yes, you have." Iroh nodded. "You struggled, you suffered, but you have always followed your own path. You restored you own honor. And only you can restore the honor of the Fire Nation."

Zuko focused his gaze on the ground. "I'll try, uncle."

"Well, what if Aang doesn't come back?" Toph said.

"Sozin's Comet is arriving and our destines are upon us. Aang will face the Fire Lord." Iroh folded his arms. "When I was a boy, I had a vision that would one day take Ba Sing Se. Only now I see that my destiny is to take it back from the Fire Nation, so the Earth Kingdom can be free again."

Suki smiled. "That's why you gathered the members of the White Lotus."

"Yes. Zuko, you must return to the Fire Nation, so that when the Fire Lord fails, you can assume the throne and restore peace and order. But Azula will be there, waiting for you," Iroh said.

Zuko gave him a determined expression. "I can handle Azula."

Iroh shook his head. "Not alone. You'll need help."

"You're right. Katara, how would you like to help me put Azula in her place?" Zuko said.

Katara nodded, grinning. "It would be my pleasure."

"What about us? What's our destiny today?" Sokka said, gesturing to himself, Toph, Suki, and Tairan.

"What do you think it is?" Iroh said.

Sokka thought for a minute. "Well, I think that, even though we don't know where Aang is, we need to do everything we can to stop the airship fleet."

"And that means when Aang does face the Fire Lord, we'll be right there if he needs us," Toph said.

Tairan reclined back. "Not me. I'm going with Zuko and Katara."

Katara looked at him. "What? Why?"

"I just have a hunch." Tairan met everyone's gaze. "But I think Cheng Xin returned to the Fire Nation to go after Tung."

Suki raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure?"

He nodded. "I already said before that I have a score to settle with him. But if I'm right, I don't want her to face him alone."

The gang said their goodbyes and went their separate ways. Zuko, Katara, and Tairan headed for the Fire Nation on Appa while Sokka, Suki, and Toph left for the Fire Nation air fleet on an eel-hound.

….

The journey had been long and wearisome, but at last Cheng Xin reached the Fire Nation. It was evening, and the sun was close to setting. Cheng Xin landed on the outer shore, and she could see the palace city in the distance.

_Only a little farther._ Cheng Xin felt a bright light shining behind her. She squinted. It was coming from the east, but that didn't make sense. The sun was setting…unless…. Cheng Xin's eyes widened. "The comet…."

The sky glowed with a red haze as the comet skimmed through the clouds. Cheng Xin frowned, knowing what this meant. Firebenders grew stronger during the comet. She would really have to be careful while searching for Tung. If she ran into any soldiers, she would be in trouble.

….

As they soared over the Earth Kingdom and out toward the ocean, Katara, Zuko, and Tairan watched the comet enter the sky. Zuko frowned at the sight. It was unsettling.

Katara noticed his expression. "Zuko, don't worry, we can take Azula."

He shook his head. "I'm not worried about her. I'm worried about Aang. What if he doesn't have the guts to take out my father? What if he loses?"

"Aang won't lose. He's gonna come back. He has to." Katara looked at Tairan. "Are you sure you want to go through with this? You don't know for sure if Cheng Xin went back to the Fire Nation."

"Just trust me on this. Cheng Xin mentioned to me before that she wanted revenge on him. Even if she wanted to get away from her grandparents, she wouldn't just abandon the war like that." Tairan stared ahead at the dark horizon. "Besides, the rest of my tribe is back there. I need to know if they managed to escape."

Katara sighed. She wished things hadn't turned out the way they did. First, Aang, and now Cheng Xin. Aang's whereabouts were still a mystery, but she could understand why Cheng Xin left. It was just like the story about her grandmother and Master Pakku. They were engaged when they were young, but her grandmother didn't love him. As a result, she ran away to the Southern Water Tribe.

_Cheng Xin doesn't want her family's customs running her life. I don't blame her. But Cheng Xin, whatever you've chosen to do, please don't be reckless. _Katara glanced back at the comet. _Aang, where are you?_

….

_"The true mind can weather all the lies and illusions without being lost. The true heart can touch the poison of hatred without being harmed. Since beginningless time, darkness thrives in the void, but always yields to purifying light." _

The words echoed in Aang's mind as he stood in the center of a bunch of pillars on the edge of the Earth Kingdom. He had gotten separated from the others. For some reason, he had been lured out onto the back of a huge lion-turtle. Aang did everything he could to make the right decision. He had spoken to his past lives, but they all said that he needed to kill the Fire Lord. But even then, he still wasn't sure he could go through with it. Then, he met the lion-turtle. It spoke to him and gave him some strange ability. He was then left here to wait for Fire Lord Ozai.

Aang saw the comet behind him. It was time, and there was no turning back now. The whole world was depending on him.


	27. Finale Part III

Chapter Er Shi Qui- Finale Part III

The red haze of the comet gave the sky an eerie glow. And being in the Fire Nation only made the situation scarier. Cheng Xin kept her cloak over her head. It was still dark enough for her to keep out of sight. She ducked behind trees and rocks as she slowly made her way to the palace city. Strangely enough, the whole area seemed abandoned. She didn't spot any soldiers, guards, or anything.

_Weird, but I have to stay on my toes. _Cheng Xin nodded to herself and continued her way up the side of the mountain. But where would she search for Tung? He could be anywhere in the palace. _Maybe I should try that underground prison. But how do I get down there?_

….

Little did Cheng Xin know, Tung was headed in her direction. Tung seethed as he stared back at the palace city. He still couldn't believe that Azula banished him. And all because of that brat. That worthless airbender girl. He should have known better not to have left her alone during the eclipse. The girl wasn't like the ones from his tribe. She had experienced the world; her constitution was stronger. He should have broken her spirit further before releasing her from his prison.

_The princess has gone mad._ Tung scanned the main island. All the soldiers and guards that patrolled the area were no longer around. Apparently he hadn't been the only one who was banished.

It was then that Tung heard something rustle in the bushes nearby. He held up his hands. It could have just been some random animal, but as Tung squinted his eyes, he spotted the tip of a long stick in the shadows. It moved as the bushes continued to shake. Someone was indeed there.

….

Cheng Xin was doing her best to keep out of sight. So far, she still hadn't seen anyone. Unaware that she had been spotted, she was unprepared when a large whip of air sliced through the bushes and knocked her on her side into the open, grassy field.

Startled, Cheng Xin scrambled to her feet with the glider still in her hand. _What was that?_ She looked up at the person who attacked her and gasped. "You."

Tung heard her voice and turned in her direction. He frowned. It was a small child. Tung narrowed his eyes as Cheng Xin's cloak fell from her face. It was her. "Well, well, look what I found. A stray."

Cheng Xin dropped the glider on the ground and pulled out her fans. "Hardly."

He raised an eyebrow. "Oh? You plan to fight me? Did you forget who I am?" Tung grinned. "Your master?"

"You have never been, nor will ever be my master. I know exactly who you truly are. An airbender, a member of the Tribe of the Clouds." Cheng Xin said.

"What?" Tung glared at her. "How do you know about that?"

Cheng Xin held her fans up defensively. "Because I'm the descendant of Ming, the founder of your tribe. I rescued the remaining survivors, and now I'm going to make you pay for what you've done to your people. For what you did to me."

_Rescued?_ Tung gritted his teeth. That couldn't be possible. He imprisoned all the airbenders from his tribe, and those that weren't were killed in the raids. "You lie! There were no survivors."

"Then I guess you miscounted." Cheng Xin rested her hands at her sides. "But before anything else, tell me. Why did you, an airbender, turn your back on your own people to serve the Fire Nation?"

Tung stared her, his temper flaring. "I do not owe you an explanation." He pulled out a long stick that had two oval shaped fans on each end. "But if you're thirsty for revenge, I'll give you the honor of joining them."

He swirled his staff around in a circular motion. It created a whirlwind that slowly pulled Cheng Xin to him. She quickly blew a gust of air from her mouth and propelled herself out of the strong current. Cheng Xin landed on her hands and knees and glared at Tung.

"What's the matter, little airbender?" Tung laughed at her. "You don't actually think you're a match for me, do you? Just looking at your clumsy form, I can tell that you're not even a master."

She stood up. "I don't need to be."

Cheng Xin jumped into the air and flipped into a drop kick. Tung dodged her attack and swung his staff at her, striking Cheng Xin in the side. She rolled onto the ground and groaned. But she couldn't give up. It wasn't just about the tribe. The stinging pain in her side only reminded her of the torture Tung put her through in prison.

"Give up, yet?" Tung made his way over to her. "If you surrender now, I'll make your death as quick as possible."

She pushed herself to her feet. _I won't let him win. I'm not as weak as he thinks. _

With her fans out to her sides, Cheng Xin spun in circle as fast as she could. A cyclone formed around her that started sucking everything around it. Tung pushed himself back as he dodged the debris that was being redirected at him.

Tung looked at the attack, amused. _A cute trick. _

He leaped into the air as he spun his staff. Tung flipped his staff forward, creating a large blade of air that cut down the middle of the cyclone. The current was disrupted, and the wave came crashing down on Cheng Xin. It struck her hard, and she was pummeled into the ground.

Landing back down, Tung grinned as he noticed that she had been knocked unconscious. _Now, to finish this brat off._ With his staff, he bended two large boulders from the ground and twirled them in the air.

….

Zuko, Katara and Tairan had finally reached the mainland of the Fire Nation. Katara looked below them, confused. Something seemed strange. There was no one around. She remembered during the eclipse, there were soldiers and guards everywhere. Maybe they had all left to destroy the Earth Kingdom with Ozai.

Tairan was observing the area below them as well. He blinked, unsure if what he saw was accurate. There was a large cyclone of air on the outskirts of what seemed to be the palace city. But the cyclone didn't look natural. Someone was bending the air.

_Wait, bending the air?_ Tairan pointed below them. "You guys, look down there."

Katara and Zuko glanced in the direction he was pointing.

"That couldn't be…" Katara said.

"It is. I knew she was here." Tairan stood up. "This is my stop." He jumped off of Appa and used the hood of his cloak as parachute to slow down his fall.

Katara's gasped, suprised. "Tairan!"

"Let him go. He knows what he's doing." Zuko looked ahead toward the palace. "We need to stop Azula."

She nodded. _I just hope Cheng Xin is okay._

….

Tairan tucked and rolled as he roughly landed on solid ground. But there was no time to worry about that, he had to hurry over to the fight he saw taking place. He could see two figures dueling.

His eyes widened. It wasn't just one airbender but two. _Cheng Xin found Tung already. I have to hurry._

He rushed to the scene. Tairan saw someone crash into the ground. The cyclone had kicked up the earth, and dirt and dust was flying everywhere. Tairan covered his eyes until the dust cleared. He peered out from under his sleeve and gasped. Cheng Xin had been knocked unconscious. And the figure standing over her…he'd never forget that face.

Tairan narrowed his eyes. _Tung._

He watched as the traitor lifted two boulders into the air with his bending. Tairan shifted his gaze between Tung and Cheng Xin. He was going to kill her. He had to stop him. Stepping forward, his foot hit something. Tairan looked down. It was Aang's glider that Cheng Xin took. He quickly picked it up and jumped in front of Cheng Xin's body.

"Your fight is with me," he said.

Tung paused and dropped the boulders on the ground. Great, more interference. He frowned. However, it was just another child. But a familiar child.

Tairan noticed his confusion. "What's the matter, traitor, don't recognize me?"

"Children all look the same to me." Tung held up his staff. "But if you insist on getting in my way, I'll kill you as well."

"Just what I'd expect to hear from someone who'd turn his back on his own tribe. His own family." Tairan glared at him. "I am Tairan, the leader of the survivors of our tribe."

Tung quirked an eyebrow as he jogged his memory. "Tairan? Ah yes, the chief's spoiled son. I thought I had you executed along with the rest of the brats?"

"Well, you didn't." Tairan held up the glider. "I'll never forgive you for what you did."

"Forgive? Ha, you were just a child. And even now you still are, completely ignorant of the world around you." Tung chuckled. "But I guess I can't blame you. It was the Elders' fault. Those ignorant fools were too blind to see that they were keeping us all caged."

"They were keeping us safe!" Tairan said.

Tung shook his head. "Of course, that's what they wanted you to believe. We all should have been grateful to live trapped inside a box never to roam the world."

Tairan gave him a stern glare. "It's what kept us all alive."

"Yes, indeed. Alive, but not living." Tung raised his staff. "But it doesn't matter. That's all in the past."

Cheng Xin groaned as she slowly opened her eyes. Her head was spinning. She shifted and slowly sat up. Where was Tung? She couldn't let herself lose. But there was someone standing in between her and him.

She blinked. "Tairan?"

He turned. "Cheng Xin." Tairan helped her up. "Are you okay?"

She stared at him before directing her attention to Tung. "I'm all right."

"Well, isn't this sweet." Tung jumped into the air. "I'll just annihilate you both."

Cheng Xin quickly grabbed her fans while Tairan used the glider. Tung flipped in the air, creating numerous blades that cut into the ground. Cheng Xin and Tairan jumped out of the way and took cover. They looked at each other and nodded.

"Together," Tairan said, as they both shot out a wave air that knocked Tung to the ground.

They ran over to him while he was getting up. Cheng Xin made wind blades with her fans and bombarded Tung with them. He twirled his staff, deflecting the attack. Tairan came at him from the side and sliced the glider through the air, striking Tung down again.

Tung growled and glared at his two minuscule opponents. He wasn't about to let a bunch of children defeat him. He sprung to his feet and twisted his body around in a circular motion while his staff caught the current of the air. In one swift swing, Tung sent a hung blade of air that hit Tairan and Cheng Xin dead on. They were blown back from the force and made a painful landing on the open field.

Tairan recovered first and dashed over to Tung. The master airbender scowled. These children were relentless. He blew another blade at Tairan that wasn't as strong as the first. Tairan managed to jump over it and dealt Tung a punch to the face. He punched him again, relishing in the satisfaction of doing so. Unfortunately, Tung grabbed hold of his shoulder and flipped him on his back on the ground.

He kicked the glider out of Tairan's hands and pointed his staff at his throat. "You can't win, boy."

Cheng Xin slowly pulled herself up from the grass, her muscles aching. She scanned the area and spotted Tung and Tairan a little ways off. She frowned. Tung had Tairan pinned down. She reached for her fans and stood up.

_What can I do?_ She was running out of attacks, and Tung was able to counter every move they made. Unless…. She smirked to herself.

Charging at Tung, Cheng Xin formed a ball of air under her feet and air scooted toward him at full speed. He heard her coming in from behind and quickly turned around. With his staff, Tung bended the air creating several tentacle-like whips. The first whip went straight Cheng Xin, but she flipped over it. At the same time, Cheng Xin used her fans to bend the sphere of air beneath her feet between them. She spun around, shooting the sphere. It struck Tung in head, knocking him to the ground with a loud thud.

When it didn't seem like he was going to get back up, Cheng Xin rushed to Tairan's side. "Tairan, are you okay?"

He coughed and wiped his mouth as he sat up. "I'm fine." Tairan grabbed the glider as Cheng Xin helped him up. "Where is he?"

"What do you mean?" She pointed in the direction Tung landed. "He's right over…." She blinked and gasped. The spot she saw Tung laying in moments ago was empty. Cheng Xin looked around nervously. "He was right there, I swear."

"That was another cute trick, little girl." Tung snatched Cheng Xin by the back of her cloak and placed his staff at her neck. "But not good enough."

Tairan's eyes widened. "Cheng Xin!"

Tung scowled at the two of them. "When will you get it through your heads that you are no match for me?" He tightened his grip on Cheng Xin. "And now…."

Tairan glared at him. "Let her go!"

"Oh?" Tung grinned at Tairan, amused. He briefly glanced behind himself, and then looked at Cheng Xin, who was struggling in his grip. "Very well. You want her…?" He released Cheng Xin as a devilish smirk crossed his face. "Go get her."

Swinging his staff, he quickly turned and blew Cheng Xin back with a huge gust of wind. The force was so strong, Cheng Xin skidded across the ground all the way to the edge of the mountainside. Her body tipped over the cliff, and Cheng Xin let out a scream as she fell through the air.

….

In the palace city, flashes of red and blue light sparkled like fireworks as Azula and Zuko fought against each other in an agni kai. Zuko wanted to handle the situation on his own, so Katara watched idly on the sidelines with Appa. However, something made the bison grow restless. Appa had heard a scream, a familiar voice. His instincts kicking in, the bison quickly flew into the air, startling Katara.

"Appa, come back here!" Katara ran out into the courtyard where Zuko and Azula were dueling. "Appa, come back!"

…

Tairan stood there, wide eyed. "Cheng Xin?"

Tung smirked as he laughed at him. "That's right, you pathetic boy. She's gone now."

No. Another member of his clan was gone. And what were the Avatar and the others going to say? He had said he'd take care of things. He glared at Tung. "You bastard!" Tairan charged at him, but Tung easily knocked the frustrated airbender onto his back.

Tung stood over him as he pinned him down. "Give it up. It's over." He suddenly heard a loud roar behind him. Tung turned around. It was a large air bison. And the airbender girl was riding it. "What?"

Cheng Xin smirked as she petted Appa's head. "Get him, Appa!"

"Please, do you think I'm going to be intimidated by some wild beast!" Tung raised his staff.

Appa roared as he blew Tung back with his tail. Tung's staff went flying out of his hand as he stared up at Cheng Xin furiously. He stood up and charged at them. Tung held up his hand, ready to strike them all down. But Appa caught his hand with his teeth and swung Tung over the cliffside. All was heard was a loud shout, and then no more.

Tairan slowly panted as he got up. He grinned at Cheng Xin. "Don't scare me like that." He floated up into Appa's saddle. "I thought you were a goner."

"Hey, I don't go down that easily. Especially when I have such a great helper. Right, Appa?" Cheng Xin said, as the bison roared affectionately.

He laughed and took the reins. "We should get back to Katara and Zuko."

Cheng Xin put her fans away and rubbed her right shoulder. "They're here too?"

"Zuko came to take the throne from Azula." Tairan glanced at the cliff with a distant expression. Tung was gone for good now. He had done it. They had done it. "Finally, my family is avenged."

She nodded. "But our worries aren't over yet. Let's go."


	28. Reunited

Chapter Er Shi Ba- Reunited

Cheng Xin and Tairan returned to the palace city on Appa. Looking out in the distance, Cheng Xin couldn't help but feel a sense of joy. She had aided Tairan in getting rid of that horrible tyrant, Tung. The only thing left to worry about was if Aang pulled through. He had to have. It was a gut-feeling guess, but Cheng Xin knew it had to be true. No matter how he felt, she knew Aang wouldn't abandon them like that.

"Where are they?" Cheng Xin said.

He pointed down at the flashing blue light. "Over there."

Cheng Xin frowned. That blue light. She narrowed her eyes. It wasn't a light; it was fire. Azula's fire. Katara and Zuko must still be in battle. "Maybe we should wait."

Tairan looked at her. Even if it was Katara and Zuko's fight, it was just more of an incentive for him to go and help. "What do you mean?"

She frowned as she looked at the city below them with a serious expression. "Azula's a much more dangerous opponent than Tung. If we go there, we'll only get in the way."

As they hovered closer to the courtyard of the palace, they heard someone scream at the top of their lungs.

"What was that?" Tairan said.

Cheng Xin blinked as the scream changed into loud cries. "It sounds like Azula."

Tairan took hold of the reins. "We should check it out. Appa, let's descend."

….

Katara stood beside Zuko as they watched Azula scream and cry in her chains. It was a sad sight to see. Their battle had taken a turn for the worst. Azula, for reasons unknown, had become crazed. Her normal calm demeanor had vanished, and during the fight, she was hellbent on killing Katara and Zuko. Luckily they were able to defeat Azula in the end. Katara heard a load roar in the sky.

She looked up. "Appa." Katara squinted. "And Tairan and Cheng Xin are there too." She waved them down, and smiled, relieved that they were still alive. "You guys, over here."

Appa landed, and Cheng Xin and Tairan dismounted him. They rushed over to Katara and Zuko.

"Cheng Xin, Tairan, you're okay. What happened?" Katara said.

Tairan folded his arms. "We took care of Tung." He looked at Azula, who was still whimpering on the ground. "I see you guys did alright."

Cheng Xin noticed a large scar on Zuko's chest. "Zuko, you're injured."

He shrugged it off. "Azula managed to attack me with lightning, but Katara healed me. I'll be fine."

"So did Aang ever come back?" Cheng Xin said.

Katara shook her head. "We don't know. But I'm hoping that he did." She looked at Cheng Xin. "And why did you run off like that? We were worried."

"I'm sorry." She hung her head. "I couldn't take being around my grandparents a minute longer. They just wouldn't hear me out."

"Well, you're lucky I was able to find you." Tairan grinned at her. "You would have been dead otherwise."

Cheng Xin half-smiled. "Yeah, I guess." She turned toward Katara. "What happened to Toph, Sokka, and Suki?"

"They left to stop Fire Lord Ozai's air fleet." Katara looked at the sky absentmindedly. "I hope they're okay."

….

Zuko had the Fire Sages lock Azula away where she couldn't harm anyone until he could figure out what to do with her later. It was unclear if Ozai had been defeated, so Katara, Cheng Xin, and Tairan stayed inside the palace and waited for the rest of their group to return. Katara and Cheng Xin stayed in a room together.

"Ow, that hurts." Cheng Xin cringed as Katara healed some of her wounds.

Katara looked at her apologetically. "Sorry." She continued wrapping her arm in a bandage. "You've got a lot of bruises."

Cheng Xin sighed. "Yeah. Tung was more than a challenge, with him being a master and all."

Slowly nodding, Katara continued her work. "So…what are you going to do about your grandparents? It's not fair for you and Aang to be forced together."

"I know." Cheng Xin sighed. "Aang's more like a brother to me. And Aang already said that he didn't want to marry me. No matter what my grandparents say, it just won't work. If anything, I hope maybe Aang could convince them."

"What do you mean?" Katara said.

Cheng Xin rested her bandaged arm in her lap as Katara moved on to some of the bruises on her back. "Well, they won't listen to what I have to say. Maybe if Aang annuls the arrangement to them, they'll back off."

Katara frowned. "What makes you think they will?"

"He's the Avatar." Cheng Xin shrugged. "I doubt they'd put up much of an argument with him. Besides, this isn't just about me. Aang has feelings too. You're the one he has a crush on."

"Yeah…." Katara blushed. "I know."

Cheng Xin blinked. "You do?"

She nodded. "We kissed at the invasion during the eclipse. I know he likes me. But, I'm still confused about how I feel."

"What? You don't like him back?" Cheng Xin said.

Katara set down the bandages. "I…I do. It's just my mind's been too focused on the war that I wasn't thinking about it too much." She gave Cheng Xin a small grin. "And what about you and Tairan?"

Cheng Xin faltered with her words, thrown off guard. "What about him?"

"I noticed that the two of you spend a lot of time together," Katara said.

"It's only because he was separated from the rest of his tribe." Cheng Xin looked away. "He doesn't like being himself."

Katara winked at her. "Sure."

"Please." Cheng Xin rolled her eyes. "We just met."

As if on cue, Tairan rushed into the room, a bright smile on his face. "Come on!"

The girls exchanged confused glances and stared back at him.

"What's going on?" Cheng Xin said.

He pointed out of the doorway. "The Avatar and the others. They've come back."

Katara and Cheng Xin quickly got up and followed Tairan out of the palace. There in the courtyard, was one of the Fire Nation Air Ships, and exiting out of it was the rest of the gang. Katara spotted her brother and immediately rushed over to him.

"Sokka, you guys are back." Katara was about to hug him when she noticed he was limping and using Suki for support. "What happened? Is your leg all right?"

He cringed as he got his footing on the solid ground. "No, I broke it while we were destroying the air ships." Sokka's pained expression immediately changed to an excited one. "But you should have been there! Aang returned, and he defeated the Fire Lord! We won!"

_Aang?_ Cheng Xin's gaze drifted to the top of the air ship's ramp as Aang appeared with Momo on his shoulder. She ran over to him. "Aang, you're back!" Startled, he tripped slightly as she embraced him. Cheng Xin stepped back, noticing the calm expression on his face. "So…did you go through with it? Did you actually kill the Fire Lord?"

Shaking his head, Aang said, "I found a better solution. I took Ozai's bending away."

"Took his bending away?" Cheng Xin looked at Aang surprised. "Is that even possible?"

"Apparently, a giant Lion Turtle taught it to him while he was missing," Toph said, walking over to them.

Aang silently nodded. He was elated, but was worn out from his battle Ozai. Still, after all this time, he finally defeated the Fire Lord and saved the world. And even more so, he didn't have to sacrifice his beliefs to do it.

Katara joined them. "I can't believe it. The war is actually over."

"The rest of the tribe will be safe now." Tairan let a smile spread across his face. "We'll actually be able to live out in the open."

The gang shared a group hug, but noticed someone was missing.

"Zuko…." Katara said, raising an eyebrow.

The Prince soon to be Fire Lord heaved a sigh. He was happy for their victory too, and that his father finally got put in his place. However, he wasn't ever going to get use to the gang's mushy group stuff. Letting out another sigh, Zuko reluctantly joined in the group hug.


	29. An Era of Peace

Chapter Er Shi Jiu- An Era of Peace

It was the next day, and the Fire Nation palace was full of celebration. The prisoners that had been captured during the eclipse were freed, and everyone was reunited with their friends and family.

"Tairan, you're alright!" Guan-yin said, as she hugged her twin brother.

Lei stepped forward. "We were so worried about you."

The others quietly nodded.

Tairan looked at his tribe proudly. "Yeah, well I'm fine now. And you'll be pleased to know that our families have been properly avenged."

Guan-yin stared at him wide-eyed. "You mean…you took care of Tung?"

"With Cheng Xin's help of course," he said.

She glanced around. "Where is she? We should all properly thank her for helping us."

Tairan gestured toward the palace. "She's still inside with the Avatar."

….

Aang stared out the window of the room he was in. He had changed his clothes to more traditional monk robes with an amulet like Cheng Xin's around his neck.

"What are you thinking about?" Cheng Xin said, walking over to him.

He rested his staff in his lap. "Everything. We've come so far. It's hard to believe it's all over."

Cheng Xin smiled as she sat down next to him. "It's not over. I'm sure we all still have a lot to do." She glanced at the floor and back at him. "Aang?"

"Yes," he said, facing her.

"Well…while you were gone, I found my grandparents."

Aang smiled. "That's great."

She slowly nodded. "Yeah, I was happy too. At the moment, they're still in Ba Sing Se with the rest of the Lotus members. But that's not why I wanted to talk."

He noticed the stressed expression on her face. "Why? What's wrong?"

Cheng Xin met his gaze. "You see, my grandparents still want us to get married." She sighed. "I tried to explain to them that neither of us wanted to do that, but they wouldn't listen to reason."

Aang blinked surprised. He wasn't sure what to say. Her grandparents obviously had their minds made up and poor Cheng Xin was caught in the middle. But it was true it wouldn't work out between them. He was in love with Katara, and she should be free to love whoever comes into her life of her own choosing.

"I was hoping that you would talk to them. I figure your opinion would hold more value than mine," she said.

He placed a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, Cheng. We'll work things out." Aang looked at her for a brief moment and chuckled.

Cheng Xin raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"

"It's just…I was just thinking about how much you've grown since we first met. You're not timid anymore, and you've become a very strong bender so far. I'm sure once we keep up with your training that you'll be a master someday."

She nodded and smiled. "I'm sure. I know I'm nowhere close though. My battle with Tung taught me that."

Aang stood up. "Well, we'd better get going." He paused. "So what are you going to do from now on? Are you staying with us?"

"Actually." Cheng Xin got a distant look in her eyes. "No. I'm going to bring Tairan and the others to the Eastern Air Temple to live. And I'm going to stay there to watch after them."

Aang understood, but he still felt slightly sad that she was going to leave. "Why the Eastern Air Temple?"

She touched her amulet. "It's where my great grandmother is from. She's the one who created the Tribe of the Clouds, so I figured it would be the best way to honor her."

The two of them headed out to the main hall and came across Zuko. He was dressed in his traditional Fire Lord robes. He looked at the two of them and smiled. In some ways, it still felt awkward being around the Avatar and the others. But things had changed.

Zuko looked at Aang. "I can't believe a year ago my purpose in life was hunting you down, and now…."

"And now we're friends," Aang said, smiling.

He slowly nodded, his eyes flashing with realization. "Yeah…we are friends."

Aang shrugged. "I can't believe a year ago I was still frozen in a block of ice. The world's so different now."

"And it's gonna be even more different. We'll rebuild it together," Zuko said, placing a hand on his shoulder.

Cheng Xin open the curtains that lead to outside. "Come on, you guys. Everyone is waiting."

Zuko stepped out first and stared out at the crowd filled with the earth benders, water tribe members, and their friends. Everyone applauded for him.

He shook his head and gestured to the curtain behind him. "Please, the real hero is the Avatar."

Aang stepped through, and the applause grew even louder.

Zuko walked forward and called for everyone's silence. "Today, this war is finally over. I promised my uncle that I would restore the honor of the Fire Nation, and I will. The road ahead of us is challenging. A hundred years of fighting has left the world scarred and divided. But with the Avatar's help, we can get it back on the right path, and begin a new era of love and peace."

He knelt down, and one of the Fire Sages walked behind him a placed a golden flame-shaped crown in his topknot. "All hail Fire Lord Zuko!"

…..

Later that day, Cheng Xin and the rest of the tribe were preparing for their departure to the Eastern Air Temple.

Katara walked over to Cheng Xin. "Are you sure you want to leave so soon? We just got the gang back together."

"I know." Cheng Xin glanced at the others as they were boarding the ramp of the airship. "But I want to get the others settled in their new home. And it's not goodbye forever; we can still visit each other."

"Still, I'm going to miss you." Katara hugged her. "And I'm glad you found your way."

Cheng Xin nodded as Toph approached her.

She gave her a soft punch to the shoulder. "It's not going to be the same without you, Princess."

"Thanks." Cheng Xin rubbed her shoulder. "Ow."

Sokka shook his head. "What's everyone getting so sentimental about?" He grinned. "Nothing can separate Team Avatar!"

Katara rolled her eyes. "Just get them there in one piece, Sokka."

"Please, I've had plenty of experience flying these things," Sokka said.

Suki shook her head as Sokka placed an arm around her. She was dressed in her Kyoshi warrior armor and make up again. Suki smiled at Cheng Xin. "And don't forget, we're having a party in Ba Sing Se to celebrate our victory."

Cheng Xin nodded, and her gaze finally rested on Aang. She was about to speak when she felt something pull the back of her clothes. The pull was more of a yank, and her back collided in with someone's chest. A rough hand gripped around her neck.

"No one move, or I'll kill her right here and now!"

_That voice…._ Cheng Xin struggled in her captor's grip, but they just tightened their hold on her.

The gang frowned as they dropped their hands. They all looked at the man who was holding Cheng Xin. His clothes were torn, and his skin was covered with dirt, but none of them recognized the person.

Tairan had heard the shout, and he rushed out onto the air dock. His eyes widened. "Tung!"

_What?_ Cheng Xin panicked as she let her gaze drift upward to see the face of her captor. It was him. But how? She saw him fall over the cliff. He was supposed to be dead.

Aang stepped forward as he held up his staff. So this was the man Cheng Xin and Tairan were talking about. It didn't matter. He wasn't going to let this continue. Not after everything they went through.

"Let Cheng go," he said.

Tung's eyes fell on Aang. He smirked as he spotted the arrow tattoo on his head. "So, you must be the Avatar." Tung started to retreat, dragging Cheng Xin with him. "Sorry, but I'm not in the mood for introductions. I just have some unfinished business with this little girl."

Behind the air dock was a cliff that led to the ocean. Tung continued to walk backward toward it.

Katara bended some water out of her pouch. "Then you have unfinished business with all of us."

"I told you before. Any of you attack, and she dies," Tung said.

Pausing, Katara frowned. What were they going to do? She didn't want to risk Cheng Xin's life. But if they didn't do something to help, who knows what he'd do to her?

"And we already told you. Let her go," Toph said, getting into a stance.

Cheng Xin continued struggling against him. She wasn't going to let him kill her. Bending her head down, she bit the hand that was around her neck as hard as she could. Tung grunted and loosened his grip. Cheng Xin pushed him back and off of her, making him step on the edge of the cliff. He stumbled, trying to get his balance. Tung lost his footing and tipped over the side while grabbing hold of Cheng Xin's hair and pulling her with him. She let out a scream as they both went over the edge.

Aang immediately opened his glider and dove after them. "Cheng!"

Tung and Cheng Xin free fell through the air, but he was determined to keep her away from the others. Just as Aang's hand was about to grab hers, Tung snatched her leg and dragged her down further.

"Aang!" Cheng Xin felt her heart skip a beat as she plunged into the water below.

She thrashed around, trying to get a sense of her directions. A pair of arms wrapped around her mid-section, pulling her into the depths. Cheng Xin struggled against Tung as he tried to drown her. She choked as more air escaped her lungs.

_I'm not going to lose you._ Aang closed his staff as he dived and used it to cut through the water.

He spotted Cheng Xin and Tung further down and swam after them. Moving his arms in a circular motion, Aang created large tentacles that wrapped around Tung and separated him from Cheng Xin. He made his way over to her and held her with one arm as he used his other hand to lift the three of them out of the ocean in a water cyclone.

The rest of the gang watched, worried, as Aang landed on the air dock with Cheng Xin in his arms. Tung landed off to side and groaned as he tried to stand up. Toph quickly encased him in metal, so he couldn't escape. Everyone's attentions went back to Aang as he gently laid Cheng Xin on the ground.

"Is she alright?" Suki said.

Aang checked her pulse. Her heart was still beating, but she was unconscious and didn't seem to be breathing.

Katara ran forward and knelt beside them. "Here." Bringing a hand to Cheng Xin's chest, she sensed the amount of water that was in her lungs and slowly bended it out of her mouth.

Almost instantly, Cheng Xin's eyes opened wide as she gasped for air and coughed. She briefly looked at Aang with a weak smile before passing out again.

Sighing with relief, Katara looked at the others. "She's going to be okay."

The others sighed as well. That was too close of a call.

Sokka frowned as he glared at Tung. "What are we gonna do with him?"

Aang shared the glare. "We'll give him to Zuko to imprison with the others."

"No." Tairan stepped forward and approached Tung.

Katara blinked. "What do you mean _no_?"

Tairan stared at Tung with contempt. The older airbender gasped for air but wasn't in the same condition as Cheng Xin. He narrowed his eyes at Tairan, meeting his gaze. Tairan couldn't describe the emotion he was feeling. The bastard almost killed another member of his family. The others wanted to imprison him, but he couldn't let that happen. Tung didn't deserve to live; he would only continue to harm them.

_I'll take care of him._ Tairan roughly grabbed Tung's hair and forced his head back.

Tung glared at him as he wriggled in the metal trapping him. He tried to move his head, but Tairan only slammed it back in place. Tung gasped and said in a raspy voice, "What are you doing?"

"Making sure you never harm my family again." Tairan used his free hand to open Tung's mouth. "This is for my tribe…." He glanced back from the corner of his eye. "And…Cheng Xin."

"Tairan, wait," Aang said, standing up.

He ignored Aang's plea. In one swift motion, Tairan bended the air out of the traitor's lungs. Tung choked and gasped as his lungs shrank and collapsed from the abrupt action.

Toph felt Tung's body fall limp and go still, his heart no longer beating. She released him from the metal prison, and Tung's lifeless body fell to the ground with a thud.

Aang stared at Tairan with disbelief. "You killed him."

Tairan turned around and folded his arms. "Maybe you can't, but I can." He looked at Tung's body. "Now, my tribe _will_ be safe."


	30. Epilogue

Chapter San Shi- Epilogue

Footsteps dashed across a stone pathway as laughter filled the air. The source of the noise was a group of airbender children playing careless and free in their large home. The Eastern Air Temple. A once abandoned terrain was now overflowed with life. More laughs and girls echoed throughout the temple as the children continued with their games. The bright sun rising in the east gave the place a serene and almost mystical glow.

A young woman stepped outside and slowly watched the group from a distance. She smiled at the sight. The woman was dressed in yellow and orange robes and her long, dark hair was tied in a low ponytail. On her forehead was a blue tattooed arrow that was partially covered by her bangs. She had similar markings running along her forearms and pass her sleeves.

"Good Morning, Cheng."

The woman turned around, facing the voice. "It's about time, sleepy head." She laughed as she leaned against a tree and blocked the sun from her eyes with her hand. "You're getting sluggish these days, Aang."

Aang grinned sheepishly. Even though his playful, boyish appearance had grown more mature with age, he still managed to look innocent whenever he smiled. Aang stood taller than her and wore matching colored robes. He placed his hands behind his head and watched the children playing. "What can I say? The kids wore me out."

Cheng Xin raised an eyebrow. "Well, I'll hate to see how you are once your first is born."

He gave her a different smile, one filled with pride and anticipation. "I know, Katara's due any time now."

"Honestly, are you two going to stand there all day? There are chores to do."

Rolling her eyes, Cheng Xin straighten herself and put her hands on her hips. "We'll get to it in a minute, _mom_."

Aang slightly bowed. "Morning, Guan-yin. Sleep well?"

Guan-yin sighed. "As well as anyone can with a newborn." She leaned against a pillar, her hair fluttering in the breeze. Her were weary from lack of sleep, and she let out a small yawn. "Anyway, Cheng Xin, have seen that lazy brother of mine?"

"What makes you think I've seen him?" Cheng Xin said.

"Because you're the one who married him." Guan-yin tapped her foot impatiently. "He should have been back by now. The slacker promised he help me with the kids."

"Speaking of which, here he comes now," Aang said, pointing above them.

Hearing a loud roar, the three of them spotted Appa soaring down to the temple. On board were Tairan and Sokka. Appa landed on a nearby platform. Tairan was dressed in black robes like his tribe used to wear when they still lived underground. As he dismounted, he wiped the fur off of his clothes and lifted a large sack out of Appa's saddle. Sokka stepped off beside him. He was taller than Tairan and now sported a mustache and beard.

"Hey, guys, what's up?" Sokka said.

"We're just fine." Guan-yin rushed over and looked at her brother, annoyed. "You're late."

Tairan shrugged. "Give us a break. Collecting supplies took a little longer than we expected." He walked over to Cheng Xin and kissed her on the cheek. "And how's my favorite lady?"

"Just fine." Cheng Xin quirked an eyebrow at him, amused. "But you'd better get busy before your sister let's out anymore steam."

Aang joined Sokka on Appa. "Well, you guys. I'm off. I'll be back once the baby is born."

"You'd better be." Cheng Xin grinned. "I want to be the first one to see my niece."

"Sorry, but I'll be the first one." Sokka chuckled at her. "Better luck next time."

Cheng Xin pouted as Aang took hold of the reins, and Appa hovered into air. "Fine, fair is fair! Say hi to Suki for me, and tell Katara to hang in there!"

"We will!" Aang said, as he and Sokka disappeared into the sky on Appa.

Guan-yin finished waving them off and turned toward her brother. "Now, back to business."

"Aw, come on, sis. I've been working all day," Tairan said.

"No excuses." She tugged her brother by the ear.

Tairan looked at Cheng Xin. "A little help?"

Cheng Xin shrugged. "Please, I'm in the same boat you are."

Together they left the children to their activities and headed down the main open hall. Cheng Xin chuckled to herself. So much had changed over the years. Aang and Katara were expecting their first child. Sokka and Suki were engaged. Toph had returned to her parents to make amends for running away. Later, she decided to travel the world helping Aang restore the Earth Kingdom villages that were destroyed by the Fire Nation.

"Now that it's on my mind, when are the two of you planning on having any children?" Guan-yin said, shifting her eyes between the couple.

Cheng Xin blinked as she was brought out of her thoughts. "Huh?"

"Sis, we've been through this." Tairan gave Guan-yin a firm glance. "Cheng Xin and I have taken the positions as the Head Monk and Priestess of the Temple. Besides, running after yours and the rest of the clans' lot is exhausting enough. We don't have time for our own."

Guan-yin shook her head. "You can't be serious." She glanced at Cheng Xin. "And you too? Surely, you want to have one at some point?"

"Nope." Cheng Xin smiled as Tairan placed an arm around her waist. "I made a promise that my duty was to watch after our tribe and keep us safe. That's where my choice stays."

A lightened feeling filled Cheng Xin's chest as she spoke those words. Choice. Even after all the turmoil she had gone through way back when, she still managed to choose her own destiny. And she had gotten everything she wanted along the way. She escaped her boring life, had a long, exciting adventure, and most importantly, she was a bender. An airbender. Free to go wherever the wind took her.

She placed a hand on the amulet around her neck and stared up at the sky. _Thank you, Ming._

The End

* * *

QueenofNobodies- "Another story bites the dust. But this one has been a long and fun journey."

Disclaimer: Avatar the Last Airbender and characters belong to Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko, and Nickelodeon. I only own Ming, Cheng Xin, Fang (Grandmother), Xing (Grandfather), Tairan, Guan-yin, Shen, Dong, Feng, Hao, Jing, Lei, Rui, and Tung.

Specials thanks to betas: PetertheChameleon and Nyachu

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